Wait
by McGonagall's Bola
Summary: Minerva really does need the time to consider things. Shall Hermione be able to cope with this? HG/MM /Sequel to: About Nightmares and Daydreams/ -REWRITTEN!
1. We Survivors

Chapter 1: We Survivors

"Come in," Minerva McGonagall whispered without averting her gaze from the pile of papers before her on the desk. She didn't even need to look up to be aware of whom was at her door. Minerva didn't get disappointed, as Hermione Granger happily bounced into the office and basically skipped over to her.

Minerva quietly lowered her quill and raised her eyes to meet Hermione's seriously. Of course she already could have guessed that this would need to happen sooner maybe rather than later. That, however, didn't really make it any easier for the much older Headmistress… She internally dreaded the girl's reaction on what was just inevitable to be said. She couldn't have something like earlier that week happen again, though. She had had immense delight, but… She couldn't, for both her and Hermione's sake.

"Professor?" Hermione's voice came, upon seeing the seriousness in the Gryffindor's teal green eyes. She didn't like this... not in the least.

"Miss Granger…" she began, slowly raising herself from the comfortable high chair. This made the girl's heart momentarily fail. 'Miss Granger'? This immediately had the younger Gryffindor's thoughts run in mere directions, but most particularly did it remind her of these typical break-up scenes in Muggle books or rather movies.

She only noticed Minerva 's nearness when slowly raising her head and seeing the much older witch before her, with just a couple of inches between them. Hermione wouldn't give her the chance to break her pupil's heart, effectively silencing her even before she had said more, by pushing her lips upon the Headmistress' thin, softer ones. Hermione demandingly kissed her, lips moving against hers with every little bit of passion she could actually muster, as her fingers lovingly roved over her sides.

Minerva momentarily gave into the caress, enjoying the feel of Hermione near and the touch of her well-defined full lips upon hers. Innumerous thoughts coursed across her, though. This couldn't happen again. It couldn't. Thus Minerva very suddenly pulled away from the younger girl's lips and thoughtfully steadied her, as she almost toppled over from the suddenness of the Headmistress' actions.

"Miss Granger," Minerva repeated, both of her hands remaining lingering onto the pupil's shoulders. "We cannot do this anymore. I'm your headmistress. You're one of the pupils at the school I lead."

"Minerva…" she interrupted, rapidly thudding in despair.

She unconsciously squeezed the younger girl's shoulders before going on, "We have gone too far. We cannot do this anymore, and certainly not until you have left here. It would jeopardize the…"

Hermione nodded, quietly moving away from her lover. Minerva's hands slid from her shoulders to her sides again, and Hermione slowly reached up to weave her arms across her chest. A layer of gooseflesh rose onto her skin upon realizing what Minerva McGonagall meant. Of course. She should have kept in mind how Minerva only wanted the best for everyone, but most of all for Hogwarts. It sounded quite unlikely to her that Minerva would ever begin something with a pupil, even after these had left the school… Even if she had already taught most of the existing British Wizarding world. She would still consider all as pupils and thus not as appropriate to have relationships with. How could she ever have been so short-sighted?

"Hermione," Minerva whispered, this time using the girl's first name. "A lot has befallen upon us since He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, and especially last year, and that made me realize more than ever that what's worthwhile in life. A lot of good witches… and wizards have been lost, which left scars upon those who survived, like you and me." Hermione didn't need to hear more to know she at least meant Dumbledore. "We'll never really be the same again as before, and it gives us some peace to share this with others who survived. We need each other to go through with everything. We need it to be reminded of the fact that we aren't alone in having to build up everything again, but I'm not sure whether it would be that good of an idea if…"

"Who's going to save you?" Hermione whispered. Albus wasn't there anymore.

Minerva swallowed, taken aback. "Excuse me?"

"Who's going to save you?" Hermione repeated, slowly nearing her again and taking both of her hands into hers, before meeting her eyes. She quietly watched the older Headmistress searching for anything suitable to say.

"I'm old," she whispered, after a while of silence.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Hermione uttered. "You're not old, and you're just as worthy of finding happiness as anyone else that has survived this," she whispered, before sighing. "Of course I do get why you are concerned about being with me right now, but if that alone is the reason, I'll wait."

"Miss Granger…" Minerva's voice came. Hermione slowly released the much older witch upon hearing herself being addressed like any other meaningless pupil again. "I don't usually allow any pupils to capture me the way you did and do," she admitted. "I have to get used to this. I really have to figure if…" she said, slowly shaking her head. She hadn't really been this honest about her feelings with anyone before. It just felt natural in the company of Hermione Granger, though… but it didn't make the battle in her head less difficult or exhausting.

Hermione nodded. "It won't change the way that I feel about you, though," she whispered, slowly letting her fingers stroke over the much older witch's cheek. She almost immediately felt the Headmistress leaning into the touch, eyes slowly fluttering shut. "I'll be waiting." _Even though the loneliness is killing me inside._


	2. Unlike Hermione

Chapter 2: Unlike Hermione

Minerva pulled the heavy black cloak tighter and almost unconsciously bowed her head against the wind that blew particularly hard for this time of the year. The possibility of heavy thunder and lightning came across her mind. She thoughtfully held her hat with one hand, while keeping her cloak together with the other and raised her eyes to the sky overhead, that showed thick darker blue clouds. It would be raining soon either way. Minerva consciously picked up her pace, following the overly excited pupils to Hogsmeade.

From between her half shut eyelids, she could see the bright red hair of Ginny Weasley, that was usually accompanied by a girl with bushy brown hair. Hermione Jean Granger, however, didn't appear to be there. Minerva would have succeeded in recognizing that particular Gryffindor among most every bunch, but didn't notice her anywhere this time. A wave of worry coursed through her, and she momentarily thought about returning to the castle, but that would have been… odd, and so would asking Ginny about her be. She thus continued walking and determined for herself to come back early if she hadn't seen the girl by noon and search for her. It wasn't very like Hermione not to visit Hogsmeade when the chance occurred. She usually brought new reading books from there every time.

_Silly woman_, Minerva muttered to herself, as realization dawned on her. She seriously shouldn't pay that much attention to the younger Gryffindor. That just made it all harder to deal with. She hadn't forgotten about that night in the beginning of January, but still she hadn't really been able to determine what she wanted either. She still had some time, though. Minerva quietly shook her head and groaned when accidentally walking into a puddle that was left from yesterday's raining. Even before the headmistress actually had the chance to dry her robes magically, the darker blue clouds above her burst into another downpour. She so should have returned to the castle…

By noon, Minerva McGonagall still hadn't caught sight of the bushy brown haired younger witch. She was at this point more sure than ever she hadn't come to begin with. And thus keeping herself to what she earlier had thought, Minerva said goodbye to her colleagues, Pomona Sprout and little Filius Flitwick, and poured the rest of her Butterbeer down her throat, before getting up and leaving the Three Broomsticks and returning to the castle early, where she furiously hoped to find the younger Gryffindor.

She intuitively began searching in the library and wasn't being disappointed. She kindly nodded to Madam Pince, who returned the nod slightly shocked as she wasn't really used to seeing the Headmistress there – nor had that been usual even when McGonagall still was just a professor – before making her way through the thousands of shelves with books. She didn't come across anyone. Regardless of the weather, most of the pupils of course were in Hogsmeade, and the ones who weren't allowed surely wouldn't occupy their Saturday there in the library.

Hidden behind a pile of books, Minerva, however, recognized the figure of a certain Gryffindor, rapidly scribbling on her piece of parchment. Minerva unconsciously raised her brow. She wasn't really used to this Hermione – one not using her best handwriting for essays – as that appeared what she was actually working on. "Miss Granger?"

Hermione barely acknowledged her by a sweep of her eyes, before continuing to copy a piece of information from the heavy old book that lay atop of the pile and was open on page 312.

"I haven't seen you in Hogsmeade today," Minerva said.

"I'm too busy with essays. This is already due on Monday."

Minerva's teal eyes quietly moved over the piece of parchment before Hermione, which showed only just a few lines of information on the history of Gryffindor. She quietly assumed this to be an essay for History of Magic. It wasn't very like Hermione to begin her essays only last minute, like this appeared to be. "Since when do you actually know?" She questioned, awkward worry audible in her voice.

"Weeks," Hermione breathed, continuing to write the rest of her paragraph.

"That's not like you, Miss Granger," she replied. Hermione winced at the sound of her last name coming from those delicate soft lips that had released such delicious moans in her ear only weeks earlier. Hermione's skin tingled at the mere reminiscence of these moans of joy. Her eyes unconsciously shot up and connected with the older woman's. She couldn't believe how after their night together, Minerva didn't seem to have any difficulties calling her by last name like before. Hermione herself actually called the Headmistress by first name in her head. Ever since what had happened that night in the beginning of January, something within her strangely appeared to hold her from calling her anything other than Minerva.

"I have a lot on my mind," she admitted, though not to the point. "I just continue pondering about…" she whispered, before lowering her eyes to her piece of parchment again, taking one of her very characteristic deep breaths before dipping her quill in the pot of black ink and continuing to finish her paragraph. "I'm even counting the days until…" she said, before biting down on her lip and shaking her head in a very 'never mind' fashion.


	3. Gaining or Losing Confidence

Chapter 3: Gaining or Losing Confidence

Nothing sexual had happened between them, but Professor McGonagall and her lover had ended up in bed together eventually, curled up right beside each other. Neither of them had even shed any article of their attires. Neither of them had fallen asleep yet either. Both of them had too much on their mind to give into the unbelievably soporific effect of lying beside one's lover on a very comfortable bed, while listening to their steady breathing and relaxed heartbeat. At least they felt safe with each other and loved, and they were together now. Nothing else really mattered.

Hermione quietly resettled, huddling up in the Headmistress' side and laying her head down upon her bosom. She sighed, before letting her fingertips slide over Minerva's abdomen. She suddenly discontinued her by putting her fingers atop of Hermione's, squeezing lightly, before letting their now entwined fingers rest on navel height. "Please don't," Minerva whispered. "Neither of us is ever going to be able…"

Minerva's assertion remained unfinished as suddenly Hermione rose onto her elbow, just letting her gaze wander over the much older woman's face, before letting their eyes connect. "I'll never regret that night," Hermione whispered, slowly reaching up to let cautious fingertips ghost over the side of Minerva's face. "I love you," Hermione whispered. Minerva just nodded, before slowly sitting upright, letting Hermione's fingertips slide down from her cheek. Hermione's eyes momentarily fluttered shut, as Minerva almost fearfully ached away from her touch, afraid that it would lead to more just like that night. Hermione swallowed, as Minerva almost intuitively turned her eyes away. "Do you…" Hermione began. "Do you… regret it?"

"I should," Minerva voiced, never raising her eyes.

"Do you?" Hermione asked, seeing through the reply. Quietly, Minerva's head shook, and a surge of relief washed over Hermione seeing that. Almost as if by intuition, Hermione's hand reached for her lover's. This time, Minerva didn't pull away, but just reveled in how good it felt being loved.

Minerva McGonagall, however, hadn't been in any relationship for years, and it certainly required some time to even mentally adjust to not being alone anymore. She had slowly gotten used to falling asleep alone at night and waking up alone at dawn. She had gotten used to suppressing her need to have a good, well-meant hug or other means of affection. Ever since she had gotten to Hogwarts in 1956 to teach, Minerva had been alone. Of course thirty-one had been too young to end up living life alone. Never had there been anyone since then – not even for one night. Minerva sighed. It might give reason to what had happened that night in January, but still it didn't give reason to having gone to bed with a pupil – and a female one.

Minerva McGonagall had been raised in times when basically everyone thought of homosexuality as deviant and dirty… even in Wizarding surroundings. Building up anything personal with a pupil just battered against everything she once had been taught and learned. That, however, didn't change the fact that Minerva's heart ached to feel loved once again in life, by someone who really cared for her and someone who just appeared to get her without vocal communication necessarily having to be involved. She couldn't deny the feeling of ease that existed between them – even though it surely took a lot of McGonagall's famous self-composure, not to give in to Hermione's deliciously soft lips almost begging her to… _No, Minerva._

With women, that line between companionship and love could be nicely blurred. Minerva couldn't deny she hadn't really felt like that for years. A much younger side of her sometimes felt like taking over, whenever Hermione was near, like now; maybe that was the lonely thirty-one-year-old inside her then, that yearned to be loved, too.

"Please, let me have you… let me save you," Hermione whispered.

Minerva's fingers tightened around hers, and she slowly settled herself under the sheets again, beside Hermione, who followed the elder lady. Neither of them said any more, silence sealing their accord.

Nothing sexually would happen between them any of the nights that followed either, but for the rest of the week Hermione's bed in Gryffindor Tower remained untouched. Every night right before curfew she would make her way to the quarters of the Headmistress. One night, both women would share a bottle of red wine while talking over something intellectual, and sometimes both would just be caught up talking about the changes that had occurred in the field of magic between Minerva's pupil days at Hogwarts and Hermione's. Both females would huddle up together in bed, falling asleep while listening to the rhythm of each other's heartbeat. Hermione would leave her quarters before dawn and hurry to the Tower of Gryffindor again. It wasn't particularly easy to live like that, but for the time being Minerva and Hermione would deal with it.

It oddly enough made it easier to hide their slowly enveloping relationship. Every night both females were together, even in a purely non-sexual way, Hermione and even Minerva both gained some more confidence about their being together and about their chances to succeed once Hermione Granger was no longer a pupil at Hogwarts. It made the missing, the need… It made it bearable.


	4. Slowly Falling in Love

Chapter 4: Slowly Falling in Love

Hermione yawned, slowly raising her head from her pillow, which appeared to be breathing steadily. Hermione's mocha eyes required a couple of seconds to focus through the haze of sleepiness that lingered after having been asleep for just a few hours. She had continued pondering about too much before finally falling asleep, hours after her companion had. The quite regular fall and rise from Minerva's full bosom underneath her head eventually had aided her in thudding asleep. As she quietly directed her eyes to her companion's, she immediately saw that Minerva already had awoken. Hermione's eyelids momentarily fluttered. Minerva didn't seem really bright.

"You're awake," Hermione noted.

"I have been for a while," Minerva breathed, before raising, so that Hermione slid down from her bosom and rolled onto the bed beside her. "You have been tossing and turning for hours until you finally fell asleep. I chose not to wake you."

Hermione nodded, watching as Minerva moved herself to the edge of the bed, back directed at her. "Minerva?" Hermione whispered, voice cutting through the silence in the air between them. Minerva stilled, and even though she didn't say anything, Hermione almost intuitively knew she must be listening. She slowly rose further and crawled over to where Minerva sat, before settling on her knees behind her and letting both hands rest onto Minerva's shoulders. She quietly buried her nose in the older woman's shoulder, nuzzling it, before letting her lips fall onto the almost non-existing stretch of exposed skin at her neck.

She could feel the warmth of Minerva's fingers when she laid her hand upon hers and squeezed. "Don't," Minerva whispered like so often at this point. Hadn't she meant more than a night of fun then? Hermione swallowed, head resting on the older woman's shoulder for a while. One hand slowly lowered itself down her side and lovingly stroked the small of her back. She almost immediately thought of what had happened three years ago, with the Stunners. Minerva had landed quite hard on her back, and even though Minerva McGonagall was one who usually didn't tolerate pity or anything such, if you squinted really close, you could sometimes notice that she still suffered from it. She hadn't really been the same anymore. She didn't seem quite as flexible anymore, and suddenly Hermione felt exceptionally guilty for having handled her so rough that night.

Hermione couldn't say how long they both sat there in silence, until Minerva moved to get up. At that point Hermione suddenly gathered enough courage for the question she had meant to ask for months, but just hadn't had the strength for before. She couldn't bear it any longer when again Minerva made to turn away from her, though. "I did hurt you that night, didn't I?" She questioned. She immediately supposed the lack of answer as a yes and let go of Minerva at once, sitting back and wrapping her arms around herself as a chill suddenly ran across her spine. The warmth that Hermione usually felt being near the object of her desire was exchanged by a sudden icy cold feeling in her heart, that slowly but surely spread through the rest of her being… spidering through her system like a venom… in about the same way that her lust for the elder woman usually did. "That's why you have been turning awayand not only from the fear to be caught."

For just a moment Minerva didn't know what to say to that. She turned to the much younger girl in her bed and noticed her teary mocha eyes and the shivers that visibly racked her body. Afraid for what would follow if she actually did, Minerva forcibly suppressed the need to wrap herself around Hermione. She had been taught that loving someone of the very same gender was nothing but unethical. She too had learned relationships between teachers and pupils weren't allowed. She had solemnly sworn never to do any of it, yet…

She really had eyed one too many of them in her years at Hogwarts, usually resulting in a lot of awkwardness between the two involved. In most cases the teachers only were being regarded as guilty and mercilessly kicked from school. They were actually adult and considered to be more responsible. It hadn't happened often, but it certainly had. Never had it been nice to watch. Just for that reason, there were school rules. She couldn't believe that she, Minerva McGonagall, had broken them by letting her hormones speak and had ended up making mad love to a much younger female pupil at the school which she lead. She couldn't actually believe she was merely continuing to break the rules every night she let this girl into her bed, even though nothing sexual happened. A few months in a whole lifetime weren't long, yet…

Minerva's head shook. "No," she whispered, feeling the need to at least give the girl some reassurance. "You didn't hurt me that night."

At that moment Hermione suddenly burst into tears and sobs. Minerva could no longer suppress the need to hold her and inched closer to her, enveloping Hermione in her embrace, quietly stroking her back. She felt a nothing less but irrational need to keep the girl safe, and that she felt that she could achieve best by holding her right then. And whenever that happened, reassurance and calm would wash over her as well. And even though this battled against everything Minerva had been taught and learned, she could feel herself slowly growing closer to her pupil and fall in deep love with her. Something that felt so good couldn't possibly be unethical, could it? Wasn't it at least worth trying then?

She quietly closed her eyes. Her family hadn't been right on more than one account, it had shown through the years. Her mother and father and the rest of her family had been very disappointed when she was sorted into Gryffindor, after the rest of her family had been sorted in Slytherin. Through the years she had come to find just how cruel Slytherins could be especially to Gryffindors and was happy she never was one, even though her family praised everything of Salazar Slytherin so high, like his love for Purebloods. They had thought wealth was about everything as well. Minerva had soon discovered that it actually wasn't everything. When she was only a teen, Minerva had already known her family was mistaken on that account and had set one's abundance in kindness and other such traits that were appreciable among companions higher rather than their abundance in money. Couldn't they be mistaken about men belonging with only women and the other way around either? However… "There will be serious repercussions if anyone discovers, though," Minerva whispered. "For both of us."

Hermione slowly pulled away and looked into those soulful teal green eyes. "If both of us remain silent about it, no one has to know. The portraits certainly won't tell."

"I know," Minerva said, "but I rather not take the risk. Maybe the upcoming Easter holiday will be good for us both. We'll be apart, at least for a while. That's less alluring for us both to end up in bed together." Minerva then took a deep breath, trying to lift the veil over the battle in her mind. Hermione at least earned to know, didn't she? "This goes against everything I have been taught. I grew up in times no one particularly condoned same sex relationships. And even though I don't believe that it should matter if you both love each other, it is rather awkward. It really takes a lot to get used to, but I do try." Hermione just nodded, the ice in her heart slowly beginning to melt again at these words. Minerva actually thought her worthy to fight for then. "And then the fact you're my pupil." Minerva's voice rose significantly at that last word.

"I won't be for that much longer anymore," Hermione whispered, still looking into those mesmerizing green eyes.

Minerva nodded. "Mm-hmm, but that incidentally leads to another fact that's not so easy to oversee."

"I don't care about the age difference between us," Hermione whispered at once, both of her hands cupping Minerva's cheeks to cradle her face. "When we are together, age doesn't even matter in the least. When we're together, we're one," Hermione whispered, letting one hand travel up to lay upon Minerva's bosom, right above her heart. "I love you," she whispered, never once leaving Minerva's eyes with hers.

"I love you, too," Minerva whispered, "but this… really can't happen anymore." With this, she most likely meant ending up in bed together as headmistress and pupil.

A Cheshire cat grin spread across Hermione's lips, making her glow beautifully in the early rays of sunshine that peaked their way through the curtains. "What did you just say?" She questioned, wanting to hear those four wonderful words again. She hadn't really anticipated them, but they felt so unbelievably good to hear after mere years of having longed for her in that way.

"I love you, too," Minerva whispered, realizing what Hermione meant. At once Hermione dove into Minerva's arms, lips almost painfully crushing on hers. Minerva's eyes closed in the sensation, and she slowly let herself float along, joining into the moving of their lips against one another, their hands… It took all of Minerva's willpower to break away slightly panting. "This can't happen anymore!" She said, trying to sound strict as usual while repeating these other words, too.

"I know," Hermione chuckled, immediately launching herself at her lover again, continuing what she just had begun. Minerva slowly fell backward in the pillows, tongues dancing with each other in a rhythm of passion while their hands roved over each other's clothed bodies until time came for Hermione to be retreating to the dormitories of Gryffindor again. Even that had something arousing for both witches. And both of them knew that even though it couldn't happen again, they would break their promise… for it most certainly would happen again.


	5. After Easter

Chapter 5: After Easter

The very first week of Easter holidays, Hermione, as usual, wasted away with her family. The second, she, as usual, visited with the Weasleys. Ron and she weren't together anymore, but most of the distress between them had resolved by now, and Ginny and she were still bosom buddies like never before. Things were getting like before again, like before the tension with and around Ron had begun even. Molly and Arthur hadn't changed their behavior toward her either, so all would be well in time.

Minerva, as usual, remained at Hogwarts during the holidays and celebrated it with the rest of the staff and the few pupils that too remained at Hogwarts. With the absence of Hermione, she most likely realized more than ever before that indeed it could be love between them. Even though the thought of Hermione's lithe figure wandering through the corridors again wouldn't make it easier for her to hold in her urges after not having seen her for two whole weeks, she secretly hoped for her to get back and sleep next to her again… even though that wasn't allowed. Hermione Granger was a drug

By the middle of April, Hogwarts was filled with its usual amount of pupils, and lessons slowly took up again. Headmistress McGonagall's mood ameliorated slightly since Easter – not that Minerva hadn't been her usual sophisticated and condescending self or such – noticing her lover's familiar bushy hair and deep eyes and absolutely dazzling smile in the Great Hall at meals again.

By the end of their first day at Hogwarts again, Hermione's knock could be heard on the Headmistress' oaken office door a couple of hours after curfew – a bit later than usual. Minerva had waited with patience, though… Even though a part of her knew that she shouldn't really have. That part of her became smaller and far less convincing every single day that passed by. She hadn't really doubted she would show up either way. Maybe her very first day at Hogwarts after the holidays had ended her with a lot more tasks than anticipated. A smile momentarily crossed her lips at the thought of Hermione Granger overstepping rules to be with her. She, as a Headmistress, shouldn't be giggling dumbly at that. She, however, couldn't do anything about it. Minerva had missed her so disgustingly much while Easter holidays had lasted, that she no longer could care about whether it should or shouldn't be happening. She just flicked the door open with an easy but artistic wave of her hand and smiled up at her lover brightly. Hermione almost naturally returned the gesture, while shutting the door. "I'm sorry," she apologized most immediately. "Professor Binns…" but Hermione had trailed off already, reading the rather uncharacteristic shimmer in Minerva's eyes and seeing the vague reddish gloss on her cheeks that only accentuated her smile.

Minerva quietly rose from her chair at the desk and walked over to Hermione, hand stretched. Hermione happily accepted it and allowed herself to be towed into Minerva's bedroom. Both women would be talking until the earlier hours of Tuesday morning, lying close while facing each other on Minerva's four-poster.

Hermione swallowed, gazing up from beside her lover into her eyes. "Minerva?" Her eyes quietly opened to look at Hermione in reply. Hermione looked away momentarily, hand ghosting over the much older woman's arm, before letting their fingers entwine. "Were there… many… before me?"

"What's that for question, Hermione?" Something in Hermione's tummy fluttered as Minerva so easily whispered her name. Hermione had never really liked her name so much as now. She quietly shook her head to just wave off her question in 'never mind' fashion. Minerva exhaled, squeezing Hermione's fingers before saying almost inaudibly, "No. I have had the occasional half-lover in my years after Hogwarts, but I haven't really been seriously involved with anyone. I haven't been involved with anyone at all since I began teaching here, in fact."

"That's…" Hermione uttered. "How many?" She dared.

"Two. I wouldn't actually give either the name of relationship, but one lasted about half a year, while the one after that lasted almost two years if I recall well. We never lived together or anything like that. We never said 'I love you' or such. Both relationships, by lack of something better, were based on occasionally sharing the bed with each other. I was considered wild in my years, just because I didn't really feel like being tied to anyone quite yet and wanted to see more of everything before settling down once I had met Mr. Right." Hermione's eyes widened at that information. She never would have guessed this from the strict Headmistress. Eventually, she nodded, slowly settling back into the pillows, away from Minerva. Minerva slowly rose on one elbow to look at her lover. "I have never been with a woman before – not even a one-night-thing."

"Do you regret it?"

"Regret what?" Minerva questioned, brow furrowing. When no elucidation came from Hermione's side even after minutes of silence, she slowly lay back again, before sighing. "Maybe, but it is hard to miss something you haven't really experienced." She then caught the sight in Hermione's eyes while momentarily turning aside her head and added, "until you."

Hermione nodded. "Have you never…" Hermione began. "Have you ever thought about children?"

Minerva nodded. "I have. I do regret never having become a mom in my life. It certainly feels like something I have missed, which is rather peculiar since I never felt like settling down until of course I became older and living 'wild' became frowned upon. At the age of thirty-one, when last relationship ended rather badly for reasons I won't mention, I just thought that it wouldn't ever be working with men. I quite suddenly rolled into Hogwarts as a professor then and was surrounded with children every day. I could give them the wisdom I would have wanted to give my sons or daughters. That of course made the aching somewhat less, but I regret it still. Do you?"

Hermione nodded, just looking at the ceiling. "Yeah, but you just mean too much to me."

"What does that mean?"

Hermione slowly turned her gaze aside to look at her lover. "Minerva…"

"Well, if you really wanted to have them, I would assume there are other ways."

"Would you like children then, I mean…?" Hermione began wonderingly, before swallowing the rest. _…I mean at your age then?_ Minerva hadn't even mentioned rules or anything like that tonight. She didn't feel like ruining that by pointing Minerva at the ridiculous age difference thing again.

Of course Hermione wanted children. She got totally mollified just baby-sitting on her niece in summer holidays and all. She certainly wanted children, but… not yet. She just wanted to see more of everything first… She immediately recalled Minerva's words, even as she merely thought this. She just hoped she wouldn't have to look back with regret like Minerva. Maybe she could somehow fulfill Minerva's child wish after all, if she ever got children – with her. She quietly shook her head. She really shouldn't be worrying about such things yet.


	6. Being Naughty

Chapter 6: Being Naughty

"I'm going to miss you today," Hermione moaned, leaning in to steal another blissful kiss from her lover, before turning toward the door, when suddenly a knock sounded loud on said office door. Hermione and Minerva's eyes connected in surprise. Before Minerva, however, could say something more, Hermione had dived under the Headmistress' oaken desk to hide.

Minerva just continued looking at the door, unsure of what to do, being returned to reality by a hiss of Hermione, before hurriedly sitting down at her desk, fingers entwining before her, as her elbows rested on the top of the desk. "Come in!" She called, at another knock from the seemingly anxious person on the other side.

A squat little witch walked into the office at once. The old patched hat which she usually wore was nowhere to be seen. Her gray flyaway hair stood in about every direction. "Didn't you hear me first time?" She questioned, but rhetorically, noting Minerva's gesture to sit down onto the chair opposite her and doing so almost automatically. A soft _plof_ could be heard as Pomona Sprout sat.

Minerva tried not to change her visage as she felt Hermione Granger wriggle underneath her desk. She unconsciously spread her legs wider apart to give her more room, but that soon appeared like something she so shouldn't have done. "I'm sorry, I was…" she said, overpowering a gasp of surprise as she felt Hermione's fingertips on her taluses, slowly sliding under her dress and continuing their way up her legs. She subtly lowered her hand underneath the desk to push Hermione away, making it look as if she merely straightened her robes.

Beneath the desk Hermione had a quite hard time to overpower her giggle. She intuitively held her hand before her mouth to keep anyone from hearing her – she certainly hoped none of the portraits would betray her, while thinking about all the naughty things she could do to Minerva now. She knew that Minerva wanted her, just like Hermione really wanted her. Minerva's fear, however, lay with anyone discovering about it before she had gotten her degree. It would cause a lot of issues – overall ethical. Therefore, even though she and Minerva wasted most nights together at McGonagall's quarters, nothing sexual had happened between them since that night of passion. Minerva wouldn't allow it. She would discontinue them before that point of no return. With Minerva's visitor there, Minerva would be obliged to hide any reaction that came from whatever Hermione had in mind. It gave Hermione something arousing, to know that someone else was right there opposite the desk. She would give so many Galleons to see Minerva's face as she furiously tried to keep her very early visitor from discovering Hermione's position. She would get hell for it later, but right now she couldn't care. She wanted her badly, and the realization that Minerva wouldn't be able to stop her now was just too much. Her teasing nature contributed of course.

Pomona Sprout just nodded. "Anyways. I have come here because I have gotten an owl very early this morning, saying that my sister has fallen ill. Her husband's died last year, and her children have all moved away and of course have other things to do. I was wondering if you could miss me here at Hogwarts for a couple of days, so that I could go and take care of her."

By now, Minerva could feel Hermione's fingertips on her thighs, and her soft reddish lips appeared to have joined in, now leaving wet kisses on the inside of her knee. She swallowed, hard. "Of course," Minerva's voice sounded, more hoarsely than usual and more so than she would have liked. "I'll try find a substitute for the time being, and…" Minerva unsuccessfully tried to disguise a gasp of delight as a cough, as Hermione's fingertips reached the older woman's hips, and her eager full lips had followed suit, now sucking onto her left inner thigh.

"Minerva, are you quite alright?" Pomona wondered, raising an eyebrow in worry. "You look a little flushed today, it seems."

Minerva nodded. "I'm fine, Pomona. I haven't been awake for even half an hour." That wasn't really lied.

Pomona nodded, but not quite convinced. She didn't say more about the matter, though. "I was thinking about maybe Neville Longbottom. I know that he's only left here last year, and he doesn't have his certificate yet, but it is just for a very short time, and he's gifted at Herbology. I would feel comfortable enough leaving it all to him."

Minerva nodded, now feeling Hermione push aside the fabric of her panties and leave numerous short, sucking kissing along both of her womanly folds. "I'll immediately owl Augusta when I'm done with this little pile," she said, before patting the pile on the right of her desk. Minerva could feel Hermione's tongue run up her slit and had to use all of her willpower not to rock her hips against her and scream. That woman could do things to her… "I hope that Miriam shall feel better very soon," she added, holding onto the edge of the desk so hard that her knuckles turned white as Hermione's reddish lips surrounded her clit and began sucking hard on the little yet swollen button.

Pomona nodded. "Thank you," she whispered, before getting up and walking over to the door. Before opening it, however, she momentarily turned back to see the Headmistress' head resting in her hands, and she seemed to be breathing with difficulty. "Are you sure you're alright?" Pomona questioned, scrutinizing Minerva's now even more flushed cheeks with those chocolate brown eyes. "Maybe you should pay a visit to Poppy."

"I'm sure that's not necessary," Minerva forced from between her lips, feeling Hermione pull back for just a second, before returning full force, sucking harder on her than before and carefully entering her with one finger. "But, I will if I don't feel better by noon," she ensured.

Pomona nodded, again not really convinced, before shrugging her shoulders and leaving the office. When she finally had, Minerva carefully waited until the sound of her boots wasn't audible anymore, then immediately pushed her chair far away from her desk and gazed down at a seemingly amused Hermione. She momentarily shook her head. "Were you trying to kill me?" She hissed, before straightening her robes.

"I was trying to do everything but that," Hermione replied, pseudo innocently. "I was just taking advantage of the situation."

"That's obvious," Minerva sounded, still breathless.

Hermione padded nearer on her knees, slowly letting her eager fingertips wander up Minerva's legs again, pushing up her dress at the same time, until reaching mid-thigh. She easily let her hands slide down to the backs of Minerva's knees and pulled the elder woman to the edge of her chair, before pushing up the dress further until her hips. Hermione's mocha colored eyes never actually left Minerva's teal ones. She sensually trapped her full bottom lip between her teeth, almost begging, "Please, let me finish what I began…"

Minerva's eyes fluttered shut at that. She didn't give any reply. She just couldn't get the power together to deny her that, already heated by Hermione's delicious foreplay. Hermione thus took the silence that washed over them as a yes, letting her fingers slide up the older woman's thighs until meeting the familiar cotton panties. She easily hooked her fingers behind the elastic, before pulling the material down for better access. She momentarily licked her lips, taking in the vision before her, before slowly bending forward and giving Minerva's engorged bundle of delight some slow, hard swipes of her tongue.

Soft moans escaped Minerva's lips, and she intuitively reached forward for her wand that laid upon the desk, taking hold of the base, before giving it a wave, while muttering _Muffliato_, then letting go of her wand and letting both hands nest tightly into Hermione's unruly curls, unconsciously pulling her closer.

The most erotic sounds fell from between her lips as Hermione momentarily pulled back to wet two fingers, before continuing to suck onto her button and entering her with two saliva coated fingers, setting a steady but tantalizingly slow pace. Minerva's back arched into the touch, as she threw back her head in delight, and guttural cries of joy sounded. Her panting significantly increased as Hermione suddenly increased the pace of her fingers, too. She then sucked harder, before alternating with another load of slow, hard swipes.

It didn't take much longer until Minerva's hips powerfully jerked in near orgasm. Hermione's fingers drove into her in a steady fast pace, and she then sucked hard again, before a cry of fulfillment filled the air around them, and Minerva's hips jerked up and down, even as Hermione retracted. Eventually the jerks decreased in intensity and eventually ceased. As Minerva finally lay panting in afterglow, Hermione slowly got up and let her lips brush upon her lover's, before leaving the office.

Minerva's eyes opened at the sound of the door, just in time for one last look of her lover's curly brown hair. She slowly reached up to touch her slightly swollen lower lip with her fingertips, before tracing it with her tongue curiously and tasting her own arousal. She slowly lowered her eyes to the desk before her. She wouldn't regard it quite the same from now.

Only then she realized that the portraits had begun talking.

"That certainly…"

"I would have killed to be ta–" Dylis' voice sounded, but Minerva immediately cut her off.

"Oh, shut up," she said, directing these words to the owners of all portraits in general, slightly blushing.


	7. Tabby Cat

Chapter 7: Tabby Cat

Hermione made her way to Minerva's chambers from the dormitories a few minutes before curfew. Almost as if in nature, she assuredly called the password which she had used so often and which didn't seem to have changed over Easter holidays, but almost bumped against the unyielding stone wall before her as nothing happened. She less assuredly repeated the password, somewhat louder and as clear as possible, but still nothing happened. The tall stone gargoyle didn't flinch. She momentarily looked at it in confusion, as if it would give her an answer. It just looked back in something that resembled annoyance.

She sighed, her mind beginning to whirl in innumerous different directions, and connecting what had happened that morning to a possible Minerva-reason for a change in password. It hadn't not been risky, but she had left her Minerva in delicious post-orgasm bliss that morning. She hadn't shown any different at breakfast or any of the other meals. She hadn't behaved any different than usual, and yet Hermione couldn't quite disentangle the thoughts from her mind that connected that morning with her current hopeless situation – lingering before the entrance to Minerva's chambers without password. The bell towers suddenly chimed in the far away distance, and she knew that if she met Filch right now, she would risk getting caught for wandering the corridors after curfew. She couldn't care much, the wheels in her head now turning in search for the password. She sometimes uttered a couple of loose thoughts, but none of them seemed to give her access to Minerva's chambers.

When she could no longer get an idea to mind, she heavily leaned against the cold stone wall, maybe hoping it would immaterialize at her touch and lead her through to the moving spiral staircase. When that didn't happen, Hermione took a couple of deep breaths to hide the tears that had gotten to cloud her vision and which threw her off-focus. She slowly slid down from the wall until reaching the stones beneath her, curling up. She angrily slapped the palm of her hand against her forehead, forcing herself to think harder, but everything seemed as plausible and impossible altogether as a password for Minerva. A flair of anger settled into Hermione's midst; anger for her dear Minerva to deny her access to the Headmistress' chambers so suddenly. Maybe anger directed at herself for not being able to figure the password, too.

And yet at the same time a new flair of love emitted from the deepest of her being at the thought of how unpredictable and sophisticated Minerva could be. Living with Minerva in your life, no matter in what way the connection between you, always gave life something surprising. She would never be able to figure all of Minerva. And yet at the same time the thrill to try never tired her.

She didn't know how many minutes she had sat there, until getting up from the gray, cold stone and wiping the remains of her near-tears away, before walking in the direction of the dormitories once again. She quietly walked back to Gryffindor Tower, wrapping both of her arms around herself just as another cold nightly wind rushed through the corridors of the large old building and made gooseflesh rise on her skin. She shivered lightly, while whispering the password to the Fat Lady, whose portrait swept aside with a quirk of her eyebrow at Hermione's late hour most likely and allowed her access to the Common Room. Hermione was rather relieved that at least her access to the Gryffindor Tower wasn't suddenly denied.

The Gryffindor Common Room was entirely abandoned. The fire was dying slowly, only a couple of orange dots still visible between the ashes and half burned logs that hadn't gotten the chance to be set fully on fire. Hermione slowly crossed the room straight to the stairs to the girl dormitories, and walked up the endless spiral staircase until she could go up no further. She quietly took her wand from her robes, tapping the tip against the bronze door knob. In response, the door of the Head Girl's singular room flew open. As she lethargically walked inside, it immediately flew shut again as usual.

She carelessly threw her wand on the bed and furiously shed her robes and school attires, dropping everything indifferently to the parquet and not even moving to pick anything up or even kick it aside, before moving to the chest at the end of the bed. She threw open the lid, before rummaging through the depths and finding her sleeping shorts and a new shirt. She threw both articles onto the bed, before smashing the lid down again and moving to pick up the gray tartan shorts and slipping them onto herself, before pulling on the shirt that had gotten significantly too small to wear at day-time for it barely reached her navel. She had always loved that shirt, even though it was a basic lilac without figurines of any kind, and had never been able to throw it away. She now used it to sleep in.

Hermione quietly sat down on the edge of the bed and sighed. She wanted to be with Minerva. She wanted to fall asleep listening to her heartbeat and wake up to the sound of it as well. Hermione wanted the warmth of the older witch's body to surround her. It felt much like she could no longer actually sleep well without her.

It was then that a rather unfamiliar sound could be heard. Hermione almost immediately looked up, gazing around the bedroom, until her mocha brown eyes caught sight of a wet tabby cat at her window. Hermione's hand closed over her mouth to stifle a gasp, as she immediately recognized those distinct lines around the tabby's wide yellow eyes. She shot up at once and ran over to the window, opening it and watching the cat bounce from the sill on her bed, before shutting the window again against the cold and rain that had begun to fall without her notice. "I'm so sorry," Hermione whispered, watching the shivers of the familiar tabby cat and eyeing her wet gray fur with sorrow. "I didn't notice you. I…" she mumbled, already forgetting the incident with the passwords.

She quietly shifted to curl up in the bed atop of the sheets and watched Minerva-cat get up from its sitting position, before lightly shaking off the rain much like a dog and settling closer to Hermione. Her wide yellow eyes remained on Hermione as she curled up beside her. Playfully, Minerva began to push her head against Hermione's hand. Hermione giggled, before lovingly stroking the tabby cat's wet fur. "Why don't you turn human?" She questioned, but it remained unanswered, as Minerva just continued pushing her head against Hermione's hand as she had momentarily discontinued stroking her. Hermione giggled again. "Hang on," she whispered, feeling the cat shiver against her once more.

She carefully held the cat against her chest, while wriggling the sheets from underneath her and settling under them. She lay back on her back, settling the cat on her tummy, tenderly scratching behind her ears. She fell asleep to the sound of Minerva's happy purrs and her warmth against her belly. When she woke up near morning for a trip to the bathroom, she was, however, alone. There was no sign of Minerva or the cat she had allowed into her room last night. She just shook her head.

By the end of the week, even though Minerva hadn't mentioned it in any way, Hermione had figured the new password of the Headmistress to be _Whiskers_. Every night that Hermione hadn't showed up at her office, she would come visit Hermione at midnight, as the lithe tabby cat she could alternately be. Minerva wouldn't change into her usual human appearance, but just keep her company as a feline and wait until her lover had fallen asleep peacefully, before nuzzling her nose one last time and wiggling herself from Hermione's embrace in order to get back to her quarters before sunrise.

Hermione couldn't really say why suddenly Minerva might have changed her password without mentioning it. Maybe Minerva had wanted to do another effort to obey by the rules that way, with Hermione no longer able to visit her at night. Then why had she herself come over every night since, though? Maybe Minerva had wanted to test Hermione? Maybe she merely had been curious to see if Hermione could figure it by herself?

She had, though. Thus Minerva no longer had to become a cat, doing acrobatic things on window sills to reach her. Hermione already had come to her instead, that late Friday night when the password had dawned on her. Both women had soon gotten wrapped up in a quite vigorous game of chess, which Minerva had eventually won as usual, before going to bed together, almost immediately falling asleep. Hermione hadn't succeeded in winning any game thus far, but slowly but surely Minerva was having more issues beating her… and resisting Hermione, especially now the end of another year at Hogwarts steadily neared…


	8. Leaving You

Chapter 8: Leaving You

It had never been any busier for the seventh years than the weeks after Easter. Innumerous essays were given by most of the professors and usually needed be finished sooner than was possible for even Hermione Granger. She never liked to do half jobs, so she had often ended up working until late at night in the Gryffindor Common Room to get everything finished well, leaving herself with not enough time to be with Minerva even.

Thus, it had returned to Minerva usually waiting at the window until Hermione appeared for a few little hours of sleep. Both women, even though the elder remained in cat appearance, would cuddle for a while, and most of the time Hermione almost immediately fell asleep after.

Seventh years – Hermione, too – were therefore quite happy when the last of their days at Hogwarts announced themselves. Seventh years no longer had any lessons that last week of their education at Hogwarts and could enjoy the weather that slowly but surely gave a hint of a very hot summer to come. With the end of the year nearing and new seventh years leaving the school, schedules of course switched for them. This, together with the beginning of another year, appeared to be the most busy and stressful time for Minerva. That left them with little to no time to be with one another. Hermione surely had imagined it differently, but really… Minerva was worth all of it. She couldn't wait until school rules no longer worked against them or their love… to leave Hogwarts and be able to love Minerva McGonagall with all her heart without either of them having to feel guilty over it when the lust that usually flared between them dissipated for a bit.

By the very last Wednesday of another year at Hogwarts, Minerva finally had gotten everything in order for the ceremony of Saturday, at which the pupils of seventh year would officially receive their certificate, which would announce the end of their education. Of course after more than two months barely having gotten any time for each other, Minerva and Hermione were thrilled to waste away another night together. It hadn't taken much longer than a few beats of usual talking until their lips had connected with each other in heated passion. Their hormones had taken charge from that minute on and had them naked into Minerva's bed, lips swollen from their rather rough kissing, skin candidly on fire by the touches of their lover in no time.

"Minerva…" Hermione panted after another hot, passionate kiss. "I, uhm… I would like to try the…"

Minerva didn't need hear more. She quietly interrupted Hermione's babbling with the pad of her finger upon her lips. Silence overtook them then, before Minerva finally spoke. "I don't believe that's such a very good idea. For one, you haven't officially left school, and… We shouldn't already be doing this. Maybe you should wait a bit longer, too."

_You._ Not _we._ "Why?" Hermione whispered against the older woman's finger. "I'm sure about you. I'm sure about wanting it to be you…" Hermione discontinued herself, quietly getting atop of Minerva, straddling her. "You're still waiting for that day I'll leave you for someone else, aren't you? Well, then you'll have to wait forever, because I'm never going to leave you," Hermione said, reaching for a lock of gray that must have fallen from Minerva's usually impeccable bun, tucking it lovingly behind her ear. "I love you so much."

Minerva sighed. "I love you, too," she whispered, "but I don't want you… to feel bond to me. I don't want you to miss things because you're with such a silly old hag like myself. I don't want you to look back at this later and regret not having lived just because of me."

"What are you saying?" Hermione whispered, letting her soft fingertips wander over Minerva's cheekbone. "I never feel more alive than with you. You are my life, and I'm sure that I'll never regret it. I, however, shall regret if I let you go now."

"Hermione. I'm old," Minerva said, somewhat annoyed that her lover just didn't want to see it.

"So what? I'll be one day as well."

"I'll never see it," Minerva whispered. "You'll burry me in a couple of years after having seen me deteriorate before your eyes, and you'll remain alone, because you'll be too pig-headed to even try find someone else, even though you'll still be too young to end up alone."

"Minerva," Hermione whispered, voice betraying the tears that burned in her eyes at hearing Minerva say this. "I'm not letting you go so soon. You're going to be very old, and…" Minerva's head shook, and she quietly entwined her fingers with Hermione's. "I want to be with you," Hermione whispered, squeezing lightly. "I don't care about anything or anyone else."

Minerva right then realized just how damn much she actually loved this girl… this woman. Hermione hadn't changed her mind, and she herself couldn't recall ever having been more sure of anything else in her life before. The thought of being apart from her made Minerva suffocate. She had no words for how drawn she actually was to this younger Gryffindor.

Their life together would begin Saturday after the ceremony. Together, both women would deal with whatever life would throw at them. No matter what would happen, Minerva still had Hermione, while Hermione still had Minerva. No one would be able to ever change that. "I love you," Minerva whispered, and a smile broke through Hermione's unshed tears.

She slowly lead their now entwined fingers to her breasts and leaned down to kiss Minerva's jaw line, before whispering, "Touch me." Minerva happily gave in… rules or no.


	9. Last Dance

Chapter 9: Last Dance

Most of the ceremony had gone by in a haze for Hermione. Kingsley Shacklebolt, the Minister of Magic, had welcomed them all with a smile, and had felicitated everyone with ending their education in magic at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. After that, every seventh year had been called up to the podium alphabetically to receive their certificate right from the Minister himself. A very unique and delicious meal had then appeared before them, consisting of some foods she had never seen before. Chattering had sounded from everywhere while dinner had lasted. Everyone had struck up conversations with their companions and others, sharing ideas for the future and such.

After dinner, Kingsley had again called for attention and had wished everyone best luck for whatever the now no longer pupils would undertake after their education, before leaving. After that, Minerva McGonagall had risen from her seat in the middle of the lengthy staff table and had asked everyone to rise as well, before exchanging the usual House tables by littler circular ones with a most artistic wave of her wand, however, leaving a patch of space in the middle of the nicely enlightened Great Hall suitable for those wanting to dance. She had wished everyone a very good last night and had nodded richly at the very same Weird Sisters that had lit up the Yule Ball four years before to begin their music.

No longer was there Krum to lead her to dance. So she just watched as now former pupils offered one another to dance and accepted invitations from others. Hermione could see that pupils happily mixed with professors, and could see Madam Hooch doing her best not to squash the toes of a Ravenclaw whose name she must have forgotten. It would have been rather funny, had it not been for she wanted to do the same with Minerva – even though less gawkily – but was painfully conscious that she wouldn't allow it in any way. So she just remained seated while watching everyone else.

Her eyes quietly trailed to see the headmistress in deep conversation with others who didn't seem happy to dance. At least Minerva wasn't dancing either, she thought, just as Horace Slughorn lightly tapped on the Headmistress' shoulder and whispered something at which she rose and took his arm carefully, before allowing to be lead to the dance floor.

_Great._ Hermione remained one of the few not dancing and just sitting by the side watching the others. No one came to ask her to dance either. She just sat there, while watching Minerva being whirled from the one to the other. She had some difficulties hiding her jealousy, but was at least pleased that no other pupil got to dance with her.

She was getting bored. Hermione had imagined this night entirely different, even though she had bore in mind Minerva's fear for repercussions and gazes and thus the chance of them dancing near non-existent, even before the night had begun. She sighed, and right when she began thinking about getting up and leaving – not caring about being the first to do that – she felt rather than saw someone sitting down beside her.

Minerva panted, having had to keep up with most every male professor – who were all much younger than she and thus not so easily breathless as Minerva herself. At the same time Minerva's endurance was quite remarkable for her age. Hermione had witnessed it herself in other circumstances already. She quietly helped herself to a glass of wine, but with one gaze at Hermione, put it down before her, before pouring another one for herself. She easily raised her glass to her lips and poured everything down her throat at once. Hermione's eyes trailed sideways. She didn't touch her glass of wine.

"You seem so sad. I would have imagined you to be happy that you have finally got that certificate."

"You surely seem happy enough for the two of us," Hermione commented dryly. Quite unanticipated, Minerva rose to her feet again and extended her hand for Hermione to take it. Hermione just looked at it in something near shock. "Minerva… Are you being serious now?"

Minerva nodded. "Come on," she said, pointing at the floor ahead, "before I'm changing my mind." She winked, uncharacteristically. Hermione couldn't believe her ears nor eyes.

Hermione smiled, jumping upright and taking Minerva's hand, allowing her to lead her between all of the other couples. Right when both women had found their space on the overfull dance floor, suddenly the rhythm of the music changed and turned into something slow, that was often labeled as 'tight dance' for obvious reasons. Hermione uncomfortably moved her hand onto Minerva's shoulder and back, unsure of what to do… of what Minerva would consider appropriate in those circumstances and with that audience. Minerva quietly aided them into a right dancing position and began leading them. Both women carelessly danced, just enjoying the feel of each other so near. Their eyes almost simultaneously fell shut in happiness, feeling one another's hot breath along their shoulders. "You look absolutely beautiful tonight, my dear," Minerva whispered.

"Mmm. You, too."

"Maybe, but not even half as beautiful as you."

Since both women's eyes were shut, either failed to notice the looks of the others in their direction. "So how are we actually going to do this now?" Minerva questioned, breath tickling the skin beneath Hermione's ear. "Obviously neither of us has changed their mind, and it is quite obvious we can't live without each other anymore."

"Well, I'm going home with the Hogwarts Express tomorrow," Hermione whispered. "My mother and father are taking me to Greece all of next week. I was, however, hoping that maybe we could waste away some of the holidays together, when I'm home again." She could feel Minerva nod against her shoulder. "Maybe we could take a holiday together somewhere else, or… That is, if you have got the chance to get away."

"I would like to do just that," Minerva said, "For some things you just need to make some time."

"Then I really hope that you will take the time to owl me at least once a day when we are not together."

"Of course."


	10. Holidays Together

Chapter 10: Holidays Together

_Dear Hermione,_

_I certainly hope that you have arrived there well and are enjoying your holidays over in Greece. I should be able to take time off until the week before the new school year, so that leaves us with quite some time to waste away together if you would like that, too. I'll be going with whatever you choose to do. I entirely leave the choice of destination with you. I'm happy alone with your company. I cannot wait to be with you again. Please enjoy your holidays._

_I miss you._

_I love you._

_Minerva_

Hermione unconsciously smiled when reading the letter through. It so appeared as if Minerva had asked for immediate reply, since the grayish little owl remained sitting by her chair at the pool. Some of the tourists sure eyed her strangely.

Both Hermione's mother and father were swimming, while their daughter had been sunbathing. "From who's that letter, sweet?" Mrs. Granger piped up, resurfacing at the edge of the pool and leaning onto the edge while watching her daughter's genuine smile.

"Professor McGonagall," Hermione replied, while getting up from her seat. She hadn't quite told either about her situation yet. Neither Mr. or Mrs. Granger had loved her less because she had suddenly showed to be a witch. She quietly assumed her mother and father thus still wouldn't love her any less when being told about their only daughter being different in her ways of loving, too. She, however, couldn't quite share the news just yet. Maybe by the end of their holidays in Greece.

"Oh, that's nice of her, to keep in touch with you even now you are no longer a pupil there."

Hermione just nodded. "Yeah... I'm just going to write back to her," she added, before running into the direction of the lobby again.

"E-mail would be so much faster, I bet," Mr. Granger said, watching his daughter almost run off to her room and the grayish little owl flow up from the seat which she had occupied earlier. He just shook his head and disappeared under the surface of the water once more.

-*._-*-_.*-

_Dear Minerva,_

_We have arrived well here. However, we had some delay because of unknown reasons (but there's delay at the airport most of the time either way) and only arrived late this afternoon. We checked in at the hotel about four. I'm one hour ahead of you over in Greece, so by the time I'm putting this down it is about five in the afternoon in the UK. We haven't done much yet – just a bit of relaxing over at the pool of the hotel. There are not so many tourists as I would have guessed._

_I would love to waste away the rest of our holidays together. I, however, do believe that we should determine together what we are going to do – and where, in case we should choose to leave the UK. Would you like to waste away the holidays over there, or would you like to see something else? Have you ever been on a holiday further away? I never asked. I usually go somewhere else every year with my family. I have seen quite a lot of Europe already. I have never been further than that either, though. Of course there are a lot of unvisited pieces of Europe, too._

_I cannot wait to be with you again either._

_I miss you, too._

_Love,_

_Hermione_

_P.S. I never thanked you for giving us a chance, but I'm almost sure you'll not regret doing it. _

Minerva quietly folded the letter twice. She sighed. She really did miss her Hermione already. _Her _Hermione. She never would have imagined loving another human being so much that physical distance between both of them ached so much as it did now. She of course hoped that Hermione enjoyed herself and could relax at least a little. She, however, too hoped that it already was Monday again, with Hermione already back in the UK, so that the rest of their holidays together could begin.

Minerva had been careful enough not to make it too obvious at the ceremony, even though the few jaws that must have dropped watching her with Hermione were inevitable. She wasn't usually seen as that kind of professor that associated with her pupils like that, even after the end of their education at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. She wasn't quite ready to share the news with everyone yet. It still felt too soon to do that.

It still battled against everything Minerva had once been taught, but the love she felt for Hermione slowly aided her in accepting their relationship as not incorrect. She had come quite far already. She didn't doubt that a holiday with Hermione would blow away the very last of insecurities she might have left somewhere.


	11. Telling Them

Chapter 11: Telling Them

Somewhere in between their letters filled with what both women had been up to without the other and 'I love you's and 'I miss you's, the destination for their holiday together had settled on Paris. Minerva would come over to Hermione's house on Tuesday morning, and both witches would Apparate from there. Hermione had booked them a hotel near the Eiffel Tower.

Hermione Granger, however, hadn't told her mother or father about her ideas for the rest of the holidays yet, nor about the fact Professor McGonagall was way more than just her former Transfiguration Professor and Headmistress. By their last night in Greece, while enjoying a glass of wine at one of the very many pubs, Hermione slowly gathered enough strength to break the news. She had told herself earlier – and Minerva – that it would happen tonight, and so Hermione coughed, getting the undivided attention of both Mr. and Mrs. Granger. "Mom. Dad. There's something I would like to say."

Mrs. Granger smiled. "You are finally going to tell us who really writes you each day."

Hermione sighed. "Yeah… and no. The sender of these letters really was Professor McGonagall, but there's something more about that that I would like to share. You haven't freaked when I suddenly got that letter to Hogwarts, even though it meant a lot of things you'll never get. I'm very grateful for that, and I really hope that you won't be freaking now either, but…" By this time Mr. and Mrs. Granger both had their brows furrowed in curiosity and confusion and maybe a little fear as well.

"You're not having a baby, are you?" Mr. Granger piped up and laughed, even though the chuckle was a bit restrained.

"No, Dad. I'm not having a baby. I uhm… I don't only like men, but women as well, and I have fallen in mad love with a woman, and… it is mutual." It remained a bit too silent, and Hermione swallowed, doing her best to regain her speech. "She really loves me, too. She's taking me for a holiday to Paris, on Tuesday."

"Not…?" Mrs. Granger whispered, eyes locked onto her daughter.

Hermione nodded. "Minerva McGonagall."

"I cannot believe this!" Mr. Granger uttered, almost knocking over his glass of wine. He just shook his head in denial a couple of times, before yelling, so that everyone else eyed him, "We have confided you and your education to her! First, my daughter's telling me she's gay, and then… The Headmistress, she herself! She's taken advantage of my daughter! I won't let it go over just like that! Isn't there something like a law against pedophilia with you, too?"

"Dad, she hasn't taken advantage of me in any way! I'm an adult, in all senses of the word! We are in love! I love her, more than anything else on this earth! "

"You have no idea what love is," Mr. Granger said, nostrils flaring, and Hermione didn't believe she had ever seen him so mad before. This wasn't really what she would have hoped or even slightly anticipated to happen at all. She would have imagined them wanting their daughter to be happy and to support her in that, even though it might not have been the way either of them had had in mind. "She was just supposed to keep you safe at that school and aid you in the education and not… lure you."

"She hasn't lured me!" Hermione cried and rose to her feet. "She's the most–" "How old is she?" Mrs. Granger suddenly questioned, eyes widened in pure shock, voice just a bit too high to still sound human.

"Seventy-four," Hermione admitted, watching Mrs. Granger pour the rest of her wine down her throat, before sitting with hands in her hair. Tears coursed down her cheeks in fury and sadness. This wasn't how she had thought it all would go over at all. She couldn't believe this.

"She could have been your Gran!" Mr. Granger yelled. "You're not seeing her again!"

"I am!" Hermione cried. "Right now, even!" At that, she turned on her heel in the direction of the hotel again and hurried to get there, tears continuing to run down her cheeks. Mr. and Mrs. Granger had hoped she was only going to cool in her room and maybe consider everything carefully and come to realize that indeed the relationship or whatever existed between her and the Headmistress couldn't continue, but by the time Mr. and Mrs. Granger both arrived at the hotel as well, Hermione was no longer there. All her stuff was gone, and a note was lying on the bed.

_I cannot believe that you don't even allow me the happiness of being loved. _


	12. AntiApparition

Chapter 12: Anti-Apparition

Tears coursed down Hermione's face as with a wave of her wand, she easily collected the last of her stuff. She made sure the note for her mother and father laid visibly on the bed and took her luggage, before focusing on the gates of Hogwarts, fully aware that she couldn't Apparate within the boundaries of Hogwarts itself. She could feel the familiarity of the sensation, as if her entire being was being forced through a straw. It wasn't so hard to focus onto her destination or her determination to see her lover, but deliberation wasn't really there. She, however, succeeded either way, and with a crack, Hermione Granger Disapparated.

Hermione slightly waved, materializing before the gates of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. She couldn't really say whether she actually knew or felt something was amiss. She carefully gazed down at herself and noticed nothing immediately short as a result of Splinching. She, however, noticed it upon raising her wand hand – Hermione appeared to have left the nails of her ring finger and pinky finger over in Greece. She couldn't care less about that right now, though. In any normal circumstances, she would have freaked about having Splinched for the very first time, about having failed to Apparate successfully, even though the distance.

She slowly walked over to the gates and tapped her wand onto it, muttering a number of incantations she, one of the few, knew to allow access to Hogwarts. Most of them were alike the ones she, Harry and Ron had used while on the run. She easily waved her wand to levitate her possessions and made everything float in the direction of the castle, she herself padding after it almost lethargically. She couldn't believe the reactions of her mother and father. Neither of them had freaked even a bit upon hearing their daughter was a witch. Now, both of them had freaked more than she ever had seen them doing after she had admitted being in mad love with Minerva, who reciprocated her feelings. She couldn't believe it and hoped that sooner maybe rather than later, both Mr. and Mrs. Granger would realize that their daughter and Professor McGonagall were seriously in a well working relationship – not that either of them had showed enough interest to see such for themselves or even query after it.

Hermione almost automatically followed the way to the Headmistress' office and personal quarters. Since the time difference and Minerva's usual routine, there was quite some chance of Minerva still not having gone to bed. Minerva McGonagall didn't seem to have changed passwords this time, and so Hermione eased herself onto the stairs, still levitating her possessions before her. She didn't take the effort to knock and just walked into her lover's office, eliciting a quite shocked response from Minerva. "Hermione!" She gasped and immediately clutched for her heart, looking up from the papers before her on the desk and lowering the thin rimmed eyeglasses on her nose with one hand to eye her love better – she only wore eyeglasses for reading. She almost immediately noticed the tears lying upon flushed cheeks and rose from her high comfortable chair, before walking over to Hermione with worry. She wasn't supposed to be back before tomorrow afternoon. She hadn't mentioned anything about coming over sooner that morning in her letter. She must have Apparated or something.

Hermione's possessions thundered down as she no longer focused on levitating them, but hid her face in her lover's shoulder and began sobbing once again. Minerva just stood there in shock for a bit, before holding her tightly. "What's going on?" She whispered. "You weren't supposed to be back before–" "I Apparated. I just… get away… I…"

"Shh," Minerva soothed, leading her lover to the couch. Hermione immediately launched herself at Minerva again. Minerva just sat there, holding her lover tightly, mind running about in different directions about what could have happened for Hermione to suddenly feel the urge to run. "I suppose telling them didn't go over that well?" She whispered. Hermione's head shook against the older woman's shoulder. "Hermione, it is only one thing to hear your daughter's not straight. I assume that it is something entirely different to hear that she's already involved with another woman, who is atop of everything fifty-five years your senior and used to be your teacher and Headmistress. It wouldn't be quite unusual if your mother or father believed I had taken advantage of my position and had lured you into this… which maybe I…" At this, Hermione suddenly cried all the harder.

"That's… That's…"

"Shh," Minerva soothed. "I cannot blame them, though," she said, sighing.

"I cannot believe this!" Hermione cried, suddenly pulling away from her lover and straightening. "Are you going to turn your back at me as well?" She questioned.

"Of course I'm not," Minerva said, getting up and hugging the much younger woman lovingly, fleetingly kissing the side of her head, before easing some wisps of brown away from her forehead. "Of course I'm not going to turn my back at you," she testified. "I love you."

"I love you, too," Hermione sobbed.


	13. Eiffel Tower

Chapter 13: Eiffel Tower

Hermione couldn't care any less about the cold surrounding her and letting gooseflesh rise onto her skin. She just wrapped her arms around herself, but refused to go inside. She stood on the little balcony, watching the people below her and the Eiffel Tower not so far away from their hotel. She barely registered the sounds behind her that indicated Minerva's moving. She was unpacking most of her luggage.

She sighed, wrapping her arms a bit tighter around herself as a sudden nightly chill came across. She still refused to go inside. She wanted to see the view and come to peace with everything. The chattering that sounded from below and the lights, even though it wasn't late yet, aided her in that. Soft footsteps behind her told Hermione that her lover was moving in her direction. She thus wasn't so surprised to feel Minerva's arms wrap around her waist from behind. Hermione leaned back against her and took another deep breath, letting her eyes fall shut. She was very grateful to feel Minerva so near.

"You're cold," Minerva whispered, unconsciously tightening her arms around her lover, before kissing the top of Hermione's head. She slowly lead her into their room again with one hand and shut the door to the balcony with the other. Hermione quietly turned into the embrace and leaned in to let her eager full lips touch Minerva's. Minerva slowly gave in to the touch and began returning the kiss. Hermione, however, grew very aggressive and needy, as their touch of lips and tongues lasted. Minerva quietly pushed her away and looked into the much younger woman's eyes. Hermione thus moved to kiss her again, but Minerva turned away her head.

"I need you," Hermione whispered, almost begging, while tugging at her lover's attires. She was wearing Muggle attires – a pair of black trousers, with white sleeveless top, and a soft yellow cardigan. It wasn't really the type of attires one would usually see the Headmistress in. It showed some more of the older witch's curves than her customary black and emerald robes did. She easily pulled her lover to her again, and began kissing the other witch's jaw line, before going over to her throat.

Minerva then knew that she had lost the fight and fought no more, but just let it all come over her. It wasn't that she maybe disliked making love to Hermione, nor being made mad love to by her. Minerva just didn't really believe this could be the right time. Hermione had left her hotel in Greece all of a sudden only a couple of days earlier. She hadn't heard of her mother or father since their discussion that had lead to Hermione's sudden departure. Hermione hadn't talked about it.

The much older witch hadn't realized she was moving backward, up until she could feel the back of the bed against her knees. Hermione easily pushed forward, letting both of them fall down onto the bed, Hermione on top straddling her.

Minerva's hands came down onto her lover's waist, but remained motionless after that. She intuitively arched her spine up, as Hermione eagerly cupped her bosom through the layers of fabric and left lots of needy, sucking kisses on her throat. These would almost surely show in the morning, but if this could make her Hermione feel better, then who was she to deny being made love to, even though much rougher than usual – not that the occasions had been so many thus far (and that surely had required lots of patience and self-composure especially from Minerva's side).

Hermione's fingers wound into the fabric of her cardigan and uneasily succeeded in getting the article from her body. Minerva's top followed suit almost immediately. Moans inevitably escaped her delicate thin lips as Hermione's tongue ran across her abdomen, occasionally dipping into her navel in which the sweat of anticipation began pooling. Hermione slowly made her way upward, leaving gooseflesh in her wake, and surrounded one of Minerva's rigid nipples through the material of her bra. Even through the layer of fabric it wasn't very difficult to see the contours of the dusky, reddish bud, strained against it due to Minerva's arousal.

Rather aggressively, Hermione pushed aside the material that hid Minerva's other nipple from view and pinched it eagerly between her curled forefinger and middle finger. A cry of pain mixed with pure delight sounded through the room. The balance that Hermione so created between both was highly erotic and arousing for Minerva, and no longer could she see any reason whatsoever why she might have denied Hermione's touch to begin with.


	14. Bleeding Love

Chapter 14: Bleeding Love

Articles were scattered all over the room.

Both women were flushed with desire, while writhing against each other for some more touch, fingertips reaching every patch of the other witch's skin that was even accessible, tongues dueling with each other first in Minerva's mouth, then in Hermione's. Hermione hadn't left her position atop of her lover, but by this time one of her thighs was resting between Minerva's, pushing lightly against her sex, as one of Minerva's thighs offered the very same sensation to Hermione's core.

Their lips breathily disconnected, both women panting hard for air. Teal green connected with brown, until Hermione had regained enough breath to continue her assault on Minerva's body. She began trailing open mouthed kisses from her collarbone to the valley between her breasts. The aggression of before appeared gone, as she tantalizingly licked Minerva's breast, never once near enough to even almost touch the nipple or even areola. Minerva's spine arched beneath her, and a familiar wolfish smile spread across Hermione's features. She just continued to trail her tongue across the swell of Minerva's breast.

Minerva writhed underneath her in anticipation until she could no longer keep up with the torture being delivered to her and pushed Hermione's head over her nipple. She had never been able to stretch foreplay longer than that. Hermione licked the puckered reddish bud with her tongue just once, before returning to the area surrounding it. Minerva immediately groaned in annoyance and pushed Hermione's head a couple of inches sideways again. Like before, Hermione licked the bud just once, before turning her attention to the skin below.

Minerva couldn't take her lover's tantalizing teasing anymore and gathered all her strength to roll them over. She settled on all fours above Hermione, pure lust shining through her eyes, which of course aroused Hermione even more. A rather devilish thought crossed her mind, and Hermione eagerly leaned up to reconnect their hot, wet lips in a passion filled kiss. She broke away way too soon according to Minerva's liking. "You're toying with your life," Minerva released in an unfamiliar husky tone Hermione hadn't heard before. Something animalistic must have taken over. It didn't scare her, though. It only aroused her more and offered the much younger witch more certainty to do what was forming into her mind.

She began biting Minerva's throat just not powerful enough to draw her blood, even though it reached to the surface to become hickeys later and moved on to her breasts, this time no longer teasing, but giving in to licking and sucking Minerva's nipple. The much older witch's head was thrown into her neck in delight, finally getting Hermione's attention where needed most of all… or not quite yet. She certainly had issues keeping herself up on all fours, elbows already bending slightly with the effort it took Minerva not to lower herself.

Hermione's mouth continued to give attention to Minerva's one nipple, while the other was being tended to by her hand. Hermione roughly pinched it a couple of times, before squeezing Minerva's full breast into her hand. Both of her hands moved to Minerva's lower back, nails digging, as she slowly lowered herself beneath Minerva, never once letting her mouth abandon the older witch's heated skin, until Hermione's open mouth found itself at level with her sex. Hermione eagerly ran her tongue up through the older woman's slit, and Minerva could no longer support herself and let her elbows finally bend under the intensity of her delight.

Hermione eagerly sucked on her lover's swollen clit then soft then suddenly surprisingly hard, hands wandering over her thighs and soon got her over the edge. Minerva gasped and moaned loud, brain frying under the mass of satisfaction that crossed through her being. She shuddered, feeling Hermione's full tongue trail from her core upward, gathering all of her juices. When Hermione finally reached her clit, a milder second orgasm followed, aided by the fact she wasn't fully down from the heights of the first.

Minerva breathed hard, looking back at her lover. "Did I just save my life or what?" Hermione questioned pseudo-innocently.

Minerva nodded weakly, barely aware of Hermione settling beside her with a smile. After a few beats of silence in which Minerva had gathered herself again, she finally opened two bleary teal green eyes, looking up at her lover, who appeared very amused. Using a bit of wand-less magic, Hermione easily summoned something particular from her luggage. As the familiar looking item landed between them, Minerva quietly rose her eyes to meet Hermione's with insecurity. Hermione immediately leaned in for another kiss, doing her best to convey the determination she felt into it, seeing Minerva's lingering uncertainty. The touch came to a rather sudden end. Hermione's eyes opened up first, then Minerva's. Their eyes quietly connected, before Hermione's voice sounded, breath tickling Minerva's lips, "Fuck me."

Minerva's eyes momentarily widened at that. She never would have imagined such rough language coming from Hermione Granger, and for just a minute, she actually wondered if maybe she hadn't heard well, until Hermione repeated herself, "Fuck me, Minerva."

Minerva's head shook. She wasn't entirely certain about this. She thus did as usual and moved in to give Hermione other delights. She leaned in for another wet, hot kiss, while letting one hand busy itself with Hermione's nipple, before eventually letting it go down further. Hermione willingly spread her legs, feeling Minerva's small hand disappear in between, mouth moving on to more erotic areas as well.

Hermione moaned loud, upon feeling Minerva's fingers slide between her slick womanly folds, before registering a dainty middle finger enter her. Minerva's mouth moved onto her lover's stiff nipple, biting it before sucking, as another finger joined the first into a fast and immensely satisfying pace that would lift Hermione to culmination in no time. Minerva's thumb successfully reached the most erogenous piece of Hermione's being and began rubbing it in fast motion. Nothing but pure pleasure overwhelmed Hermione, and as the waves wracked her body, she couldn't do anything but give in.

Even before Hermione's body had come down from the bliss of orgasm, she eagerly pushed her lover onto her back and straddled Minerva, before reaching for the strap-on and attaching it to Minerva's groin. She eagerly raised her hips, but Minerva interrupted her. Their eyes again connected. "Are you positively sure?" Minerva questioned.

"I am," Hermione ensured, leaning in to chastely kiss her lover, before leading the tip of the strap-on to her core. She quietly lowered herself onto it and reached to entwine Minerva's fingers with hers, before letting the entirety of the strap-on invade her. She almost immediately gasped and winced and shut her eyes, which told Minerva enough. Sharpened pain easily spread from Hermione's groin through her pelvis and even lower back, and even though she really tried to grow accustomed to the feeling, she couldn't. She no longer wanted this thing inside her, but she was heavily struggling to move. With the aid of a very worried Minerva, she finally succeeded in raising her hips high enough to slide the strap-on from her core. Minerva immediately undid the toy, tossing it aside and pulled Hermione close, carefully rubbing the younger woman's lower back. She didn't say anything, not even 'I told you so.', feeling the tears against her shoulder.

"I'm fine," Hermione hiccupped in between sobs.

"I'm not convinced," Minerva whispered, eying the toy beside her. "You're bleeding."

"It'll pass," Hermione said. "I'm fine, really." She, however, pulled herself nearer to her lover at that and shuddered. Minerva in response took her wand from the Georgian night table and gave it a wave to hide the suddenly un-bloody strap-on away in the depths of Hermione's luggage, before pulling the sheet over them both and allowing herself to fall asleep right after Hermione still holding her tight.


	15. Good Morning, Paris

Chapter 15: Good Morning, Paris

Hermione's pillow was moving up and down rhythmically. She quietly opened her eyes, and raised her arm over them as a shield against the bright morning sun that came in through the door to the balcony. Neither of them had taken the effort to get up and close the soft blue curtain to keep this from happening.

An ache between her legs reminded her of last night as she quietly moved to get up to use the bathroom. Minerva just turned over on her side, as she uneasily succeeded in getting from Minerva's embrace and from the bed. She moved to the bathroom on the tips of her toes not to wake her lover. When, however, using the toilet she suddenly noticed the smears of dried blood on her thighs. She must have bled more than she would have guessed. She immediately wanted to shower. Thus after she had used the toilet, she flushed and made her way to the shower to turn the stream of hot water on, before wandering back into the room itself, carefully shutting the door of the bathroom behind her not to wake her lover with the sound of water running.

Crouching down before her suitcase, she began rummaging through its depths and pulled from it new underwear, a pair of jeans and a blue halter top… and a white cardigan, considering it wasn't very hot yet at that time of day. The hotel already appeared to have cared for soap and towels, so she only still had to get hold of her shampoo and conditioner. She came across her conditioner fairly soon, but couldn't seem to locate her shampoo that easily. She just had to use conditioner if she wanted to look as if she had combed her hair, even if she had. She came across her tooth brush and tooth paste and pulled both items aside, before her eyes suddenly fell on the bottle of shampoo.

She rapidly gathered all of her things, afraid that the rummaging already might have woken Minerva. She still appeared asleep. As she hurriedly padded to the bathroom, she, however, didn't notice Minerva's eyes had opened. She hadn't necessarily woken from the water running or Hermione's rummaging, but more from the lack of Hermione's body heat beside her. She quietly moved in a sitting position, almost intuitively wrapping the sheet around herself as cold morning air hit her body. She vaguely noticed the stain of blood beside her on the bed and swallowed. It shouldn't have happened – at least not that way.

She finally noticed her wand lying a couple of feet further and reached forward to retrieve it, when a stab of pain came across her weak lumbar region. She rose up in sitting position again, panting hard, but at least holding up her wand. With a wave of it, she easily removed the stain of blood that had been onto the sheets, before lowering her wand again and taking deep breaths. The attack of the four Stunners had left some traces. She had landed quite hard onto her back, leaving it much weaker than it ever was, and of course there were still the white scars that un-adorned her left breast.

The pain soon subsided, and she slowly got up. The thought of showering with her lover this morning sounded appealing in her head, but maybe Hermione wanted to be alone. She sighed and walked over to find the door ajar. If Hermione hadn't wanted to be disturbed, she would have at least locked the door, no? Minerva peered quietly through the crack at her lover. Through the see-through shower door, Minerva could see the slowness with which Hermione delicately rubbed the soap across her breasts and lower, before moving on to her forearms, easily switching the soap to her other hand. Minerva's mouth all of a sudden felt dry, eyes trailing the way of the lather from her collarbone, down to her breasts and further over her abdomen, between…

Hermione's eyes suddenly met hers. Minerva had been caught watching her lover shower, and almost immediately her cheeks tickled reddish. Hermione smiled, though. She teasingly curled her finger toward her for Minerva to join her.

The sheet that had hidden Minerva's body from view fell down to the floor.


	16. Why I Love You

Chapter 16: Why I Love You

Minerva's body was wrapped in a huge white towel from the hotel. She was sitting onto the edge of the bed, while running a comb through her lengthy graying hair. Hermione was again rummaging through the depths of her suitcase in the mean time, in search for pony tail holders. She could hear Minerva's winces every now and then. Right when she thought about giving up on searching, she suddenly reminded herself of searching with her toiletries. A smile immediately spread across her features as a couple of pony tail holders indeed were there. She easily took one, before zipping shut the bag again and wrapping her hair into a loose knot.

She quietly turned to her lover's side and took Minerva's comb. Minerva tardily turned her back at Hermione and allowed her to continue combing for her. Hermione lovingly combed the older witch's lengthy tresses. When finally the very last knot was gone, she quietly put the comb down beside her on the bed and hugged her lover from behind. Minerva immediately relaxed into the embrace and leaned against her, sighing. "I haven't been so undisturbed in a while," she whispered, reaching up and over her shoulder to capture Hermione's lips with hers.

"I love you," Hermione whispered. "You're more worthy to me than anything or anyone else."

Minerva quietly turned in the embrace to look into Hermione's tearful mocha brown eyes. "Maybe it is just the shock, sweetheart. Maybe they'll change their minds when…"

Hermione's head shook. "I don't need them," she said. "I haven't done anything incorrect or unethical, or whatever. I'm not going to go beg them for forgiveness if there's nothing to be forgiven for. I'm not going to go and apologize for loving you. I even dare say that telling you I love you was the most right I have done in my life. Look at where we are now. I never would have guessed it."

"Neither would I have," Minerva admitted.

"Do you regret it?" Hermione wondered.

Minerva's shoulders shrugged. "I'm not sure. I have come to be in mad love with you, someone who once used to be my pupil. I used to be your professor, your Head of House… This is not something anyone, even I, would have ever guessed from myself, but it feels so right… I cannot make myself to push you away anymore. I'm afraid that I'll never get why me, though. I'm not attractive. I'm not nice."

"You are."

Minerva's head shook once again. "I'm not. I'm old, and I'm afraid that…"

"You're not good enough?" Hermione finished. Minerva didn't reply, which told Hermione enough. She tenderly reached for her lover's hands, and held them in hers, lovingly stroking the tops of her hands with her thumbs. "I love you," Hermione repeated. "Indeed it is true that you're just a bit older than me." Minerva wheezed at 'a bit'. "It won't do any good to ignore that fact, but I don't care about it. You are attractive. You are nice." She quietly leaned in to let their parted lips touch, carefully pushing Minerva onto her back in the pillows, falling atop.

Hermione seriously folded her arms upon Minerva's bosom, before resting her head on them and looking into these amazing teal green eyes. "Would you like to hear some of the reasons why I have fallen for you?" She questioned, not really waiting for an answer before continuing, "I love you because… you're good-hearted, intelligent, able, tough, resolute, fair, loyal, reliable…" – by then Minerva's left eyebrow had quirked – "considerate, perceptive, compassionate, caring, loving, supportive, unselfish, charitable, beautiful, passionate, cute, sexy…" By then Minerva had burst into laughter.

"Sexy?" She questioned.

"Yeah, you are," Hermione replied, whimsically pushing Minerva's nose with her forefinger. Minerva uncharacteristically giggled at that. "Your eyes really are the most wonderful type of green and have something very unique and captivating…"

Minerva sighed. "Surely Albus' eyes had something of that, but mine…"

"You really miss him, don't you?" Hermione whispered. It wasn't a question. Minerva nodded, and thus Hermione momentarily leaned up to let her lips meet Minerva's again comfortingly. "That's alright," Hermione whispered against her lips, while letting the soft fingertips of one hand wander over Minerva's high cheekbone.

"I have got you, though," Minerva whispered. "You're the most wonderful little witch I have ever met."

Hermione giggled. "The only most wonderful little witch that ever got you in her bed. What I, however, like most about you is the fact you're mine."


	17. Mona Lisa

Chapter 17: Mona Lisa

"I would love to see the Louvre inside," Minerva commented.

"Oh! Me, too!" Hermione said, in between putting on mascara. "I would love to see the Egyptian antiquities and the Greek, Etruscan and Roman collection there!" She carefully watched her reflection in the mirror, turning her head this way and that, to make sure all lashes were well layered with the liquid, and nothing had smudged, when she suddenly felt the arms of her lover around her from behind. Hermione giggled, before putting the tube of mascara on the counter beside the lavatory and laying her hands upon Minerva's, before turning to face her. "You're liking that, aren't you?" Hermione huskily whispered, before letting her lips touch Minerva's.

Minerva nodded. "Maybe. Your interest for Greek pieces seems to have been woken?"

"Not necessarily," Hermione said. "I really like the history, of how these people succeeded in finding ways to live better and easier, inventing things and so putting the base of our culture now. I am most intrigued by the old Egyptian cultures, though. I mean, how these Egyptians got to build their pyramids and everything! Oh, and how could I forget about the sphinxes!"

Minerva unconsciously smiled at the shimmer of interest and maybe enthusiasm, that came across her mocha brown eyes when she talked about the Egyptians. That was one of the reasons why she loved Hermione so much. Hermione could get into things so much.

"I find it odd, really. Greek things. The Parthenon is most famous because it is the building on the Acropolis of which most is left . There are certainly pieces that have been exchanged with replicas because the originals were too far damaged, though. In fact, I'm least awed by that building. My most favorite would be the Erechtheum with its well defined Caryatids, even though it is less original than the Parthenon. I can be odd that way. Of course it is something to have the originals of the people of then, but what it used to be… I mean, isn't it awesome?" Hermione's head turned to her lover. "I'm rambling, aren't I?" She wondered and blushed.

"Maybe," Minerva admitted, smiling lightly, "but I don't really mind it. I love to see you all caught up in something."

* * *

Hermione's head turned in different directions to see the painting from all angles. "I never would have guessed it to be this small!" She exclaimed, finally able to see the painting from near, after having waited for quite a while until a group of German tourists had passed. "For possibly the most famous painting that exists! I have read a lot about it. Some say that Leonardo da Vinci first made a portrait of himself and then made it more feminine afterward. If you just look at the face, without the hair and such, she doesn't look particularly female – or male. Her features are rather asexual."

Minerva nodded. "There are a lot of things written about this painting."

Hermione nodded eagerly, before continuing, "The name Mona Lisa was created centuries after da Vinci's death. 'Mona' is a degradation of 'monna', which would refer to 'madonna', or 'mia donna', which means something like 'honorable woman'. 'Lisa' is a reference to Fransesco del Giocondo's wife. Del Giocondo, who was an Italian merchant in silk, was the one that asked Leonardo da Vinci to make this painting, and thus his wife's often supposed to be the subject. Da Vinci's said to have shown her appearance of virtuous woman and faithful wife in the gesture of her hands. The right's resting onto the left. Right is for the male, while left is for the female. That leads to believe that da Vinci thought of males as superior. The horizon on the left is lower than the one on the right, too. If you're looking at her from the left, she looks somewhat smaller than if you're looking at her from the right."

Minerva confusedly cocked her head. "I don't see it," she admitted. Of course, if you were used to paintings with moving subjects…

Hermione's eyes rolled. "She's maybe most famous for her smile, because it is so enigmatic. Some people believe she's hiding a secret."

Somewhat annoyed by the pushes Minerva was getting from about everywhere from people who too wanted to see the painting up close, she said, "Maybe she's hiding that she's not really so virtuous and faithful. Maybe's she's gay. Leonardo da Vinci himself was as well after all. "

Of course most of the people that had heard Minerva had dropped their jaws.


	18. Minnie Mouse

Chapter 18: Minnie Mouse

"I'm ravenous," Hermione commented, as both witches walked from the Louvre into the dry summer air. Minerva and she had had the most of fun eyeing art in the Louvre. There of course hadn't been enough time to eye everything, but at least the most famous pieces had passed the revue and all of the Egyptian and Greek, Etruscan and Roman collections, even though in fast motion. Even if you took a week just visiting the Louvre museum, it still wouldn't be enough to eye everything – the building was just too big and held so many pieces of art.

Minerva's tummy rumbled at that, and she quietly laid her hand on it, before chuckling, "Me, too. I would say that must be inevitable after walking about in a museum for hours with only a nibble before leaving. Where would you like to eat? I have seen a lot of nice looking bistros and such on the way over here."

"Didn't you enjoy yourself?" Hermione questioned, walking right beside her lover. There seemed to be a lot of other couples on the streets tonight. Most of them were laughing loud while leaning against each other or just holding hands and walking close to each other, showing everyone the love that existed between them. She wanted to do that as well and intuitively reached for Minerva's hand, but then pulled back fully aware she wouldn't allow it.

Minerva didn't fail to notice the gesture and reached for the younger witch's hand, holding it. Teal green met mocha brown, and Hermione smiled wide. Minerva would keep on surprising her every day. She slowly rested her head on Minerva's shoulder as they both continued walking. "I did," Minerva whispered. "Now what would you like to eat?"

"Well, I have heard a lot about the Jules Verne Restaurant near the Eiffel Tower, but I'm sure that there's no room, and it would be far too expensive as well."

"Nothing's too expensive for you," Minerva whispered, kissing the top of her head. A lot of people smiled momentarily seeing them together. Minerva didn't doubt a lot of them would imagine them as a girl walking through Paris with her Gran, and so she leaned in carefully to let her lips touch Hermione's passionately. She could see the eyes of these people widen and smiled. Most of them hurried away as if they had just witnessed the most unethical thing in the world. Minerva McGonagall no longer cared.

"What was that for?" Hermione questioned, chuckling with utter surprise.

Minerva just shrugged her shoulders and smiled. Their hands remained entwined all the way.

* * *

"What are you taking?" Minerva curiously whispered half an hour later, looking over the edge of the menu. Everything looked as appealing, Hermione included.

"I don't know yet," Hermione said, biting down on her lip in a quite characteristic gesture. There were a lot of things that she liked and wanted to take, but what? "What are you taking?" She wondered, looking up from the menu as well, hoping that Minerva's choice would make hers a bit easier. She could take the very same, or maybe something entirely different and then they could let each other taste.

"I don't know yet," Minerva repeated. "What are you taking?"

This succeeded in making her much younger lover giggle. She never would have thought such silliness from Professor Minerva McGonagall, but here it was her being that way, and Hermione surely liked that side of her. Her smile, however, disappeared watching Minerva awkwardly resettle into her chair. These chairs were very comfortable, so Hermione didn't see any immediate reason for this. "Minnie, are you alright?" She wondered, worry coating every syllable.

Minerva unsuccessfully tried to hide a wince as a sudden chill of pain ran up and back down her spine. She really had strained her back that morning. This pain would last at least a couple of days. _Just great._ When finally Hermione and she were having some quality time together. _There couldn't have been a better time. _She chuckled, though. Then she quirked her eyebrow. "Minnie? Are you getting inspired by being in Paris? Are you hinting that maybe you would like to go visit Disneyland?"

Hermione chuckled. "No. I never really liked funfairs or anything. I'm scared shitless in these attractions." She blushed. "How come you know about Minnie Mouse?"

Minerva smiled. "Who doesn't know about Minnie and Mickey Mouse? It even was one of my nicknames at Hogwarts." Another wince from herself interrupted her. "Walt Disney created her when I was just three years old. I still have a doll of Minnie Mouse somewhere which my father gave me. I don't recall how old I was."

"You're hurting," Hermione said. It wasn't a question. "Please don't deny it. I have seen you reach for your back a couple of times today. And whether you like it or not, I'm going to fix it when we're back at the hotel. And don't give me that look," Hermione added, watching Minerva 's eyes roll. "I know what I'm going to do," she said, before burying her nose into the menu again and picking her choice of food and wine.


	19. Feeling Better

Chapter 19: Feeling Better

Hermione carefully rubbed her hands together to warm the gel before putting them onto Minerva's aching lower back. She was sitting on her knees in between Minerva's slightly spread legs as she lay on her tummy before her. Hermione lovingly kissed her much older lover's shoulder, before moving both of her hands up her spine and beginning to massage Minerva's shoulders and neck. "You're tense," she commented, slightly worried. "Your muscles are unbelievably tight."

Minerva moaned in between pain and delight, feeling Hermione's careful hands slide up to massage her neck. "That's normal. I'm old," she whispered, then winced.

"You're not," Hermione argued, cautiously continuing to try soften Minerva's neck with her thumbs, slowly moving down to between her shoulders again. Minerva occasionally resettled and winced almost inaudibly – doing everything she could not to make her pain that obvious –underneath Hermione's hands as she carefully pushed some sore areas on her upper back with both thumbs. "Shh," Hermione reassured, and she could feel the older witch trying to relax more. She slowly began drawing little circles toward the outer side and down.

The further her hands moved down, the more Minerva failed to keep her squirming in check. Hermione's hands stilled. "Would you like me to stop?" She questioned, the worry in her voice still distinguishable, and she could see her lover's head shake into the pillows. Thus quietly, Hermione moved lower, slightly pushing on Minerva's spine, trying to massage away the tightness in her muscles.

Slowly, she could feel the tightness go away, and she moved on to massage Minerva's arms. She no longer squirmed or awkwardly resettled as Hermione's tender hands began rubbing her upper arms in big circles, slowly and quietly lower to her forearms and delicate hands and fingers. "I love you," she whispered, momentarily letting their fingers entwine and squeezing.

She then moved on to massage the back of Minerva's thigh, moving on to her calf, before switching to Minerva's other leg and repeating the routine.

By this time Minerva was almost purring with delight. Hermione tenderly kissed her less painful lumbar region, trailing a path of feather light kisses upward, until reaching her neck. "Feeling better?" She questioned.

"Mmm…" Minerva purred in response, head turning to the side while letting her eyes flutter open to look at her lover. They had fallen shut enjoying Hermione's massage. She really had needed this. She felt more flexible than she had in years and revived. Something told her that Hermione wasn't really thinking about stopping either. She reached up to capture Hermione's lips with hers, letting them rub against and over each other, sometimes missing and coming across skin with the eagerness behind both of their actions. She sensually sucked on her lover's tongue, as Hermione's lips parted, coaxing it in her mouth, before lusciously trailing it with her tongue.

This time it was Hermione who pulled away first. "I wasn't quite done," she said and pouted, before a familiar wolfish smile crossed her face. She crawled over Minerva's leg to sit beside her, before pushing her over on her back. As she did this, she could see the pupils of Minerva's eyes widened to what she thought must be the maximum. There was only the barest teal green color around them, around the pools of lust that her pupils had become. Neither of them could say where the bottom of these pools would be. It seemed near unreachable. Minerva was in the mood, and she knew it well. And Minerva knew that she knew. And she knew that Minerva knew, which made it all the more arousing, but right now she just wanted to focus on Minerva's massage.

She thus gave her one last fleeting kiss, before pushing her entirely down and crouching down the bed to sit at Minerva's feet. She settled on her knees, before lifting one of Minerva's feet into her lap and beginning to massage the sole of Minerva's foot with her thumbs. Hermione's hands were still oily. There was no need for more gel. She happily watched Minerva's eyes fluttering shut with delight as she continued massaging her left foot. A gasp escaped Minerva's lips, as she began making her way upward, massaging from her calf to her thigh.

She moved on to repeat the routine at Minerva's other foot and leg and was pleased to see Minerva's back arch, as she eventually reached her thigh. A slightly darker patch in Minerva's white underwear convinced Hermione of her lover's arousal. She couldn't resist leaning in to trace the length of Minerva's inner thigh with her lips, leaving light, sucking kisses. Minerva purred and moaned, unconsciously kicking her other leg for more touch.

Minerva's eyes shot open at the sudden lack of intimacy, as Hermione pulled away. "You're evil," she said, eyes never once leaving Hermione as she settled beside her again pseudo-innocently. Hermione fleetingly pecked her lips, pulling away as Minerva needily sought to deepen the kiss. She was beyond worrying about making love. She was all for right there and then…. but Hermione wouldn't yield. "You're evil," Minerva repeated, before turning on her side not facing Hermione, acting mad. Hermione, however, knew she wasn't really. Yeah, she sure loved that unfamiliar saucy side of Minerva. She giggled.


	20. Bad Dream

Chapter 20: Bad Dream

Hermione was in the middle of a dream in which she was being eaten up by something unidentifiable but unbelievably scary either way. Sweat had surfaced to every inch of her skin, and her eyes finally shot open in the dimness of another just beginning day in Paris. She quietly gathered her bearings. To her own horror, she could suddenly feel something gnawing at her toes and kicked it madly. When her foot came in contact with something soft, and a muttered 'Ouch!' sounded, she immediately reached her hand over her mouth, the rays of early sunshine coming in through the door to the patio giving enough illumination for her to see the ball under the sheets move higher, feeling something move against her, until suddenly Minerva's head peaked from underneath the covers. "Why was that really necessary?" Minerva questioned, characteristically quirking an eyebrow – the left, this time – before rolling off Hermione and on her side facing her.

"Bad dream," Hermione muttered.

Minerva unsuccessfully tried to pout. She hadn't really acted silly with anyone for quite a while, and it unfortunately showed in her features when she did something like this. "I thought I would wake my love nicely," she said, slowly letting her eager fingertips trail from Hermione's shoulder down beneath the sheets to her delicious full breast. Minerva seductively bit down onto her lip, feeling the nipple tighten harder underneath her touch. She teasingly trailed it with a thumb and continued, "It seems so that my effort hasn't gone entirely to nothingness. I could try and make you feel better…"

Hermione giggled, rolling onto her side to face her lover again. "That would be quite lovely."

Both women shut their eyes and leant forward for a kiss at the very same time. Their lips easily met each other, and that touch soon turned into a kiss more passionately than possibly ever before. Fingertips roved over the other's skin, and soon enough Hermione was down on her back in the pillows, being kissed as if life and everything else would inevitably perish if there ever came an end to this. Minerva tightly held her hands above her head, as the need for air shed them. As Minerva quietly readjusted, her breasts swayed forward ever so appealingly. Hermione immediately tried to reach up with her mouth to lock her lips around one nipple, but she just couldn't reach it.

Minerva didn't fail to notice this, and she intuitively leant down, but just not quite close enough that Hermione could reach her nipple, even though it wasn't much more than a few inches. Hermione, eager to get just what she wanted, easily locked her legs around her lover and pulled her close that way. Their hips inevitably jammed together, and Hermione triumphantly captured her lover's nipple between her lips, sucking on it hard. Minerva moaned into the sensation this created, and she could feel herself grow more aroused. The heat of Hermione's sex right against hers made it very hard not to. She couldn't keep herself from rocking their hips together.

Hermione tightly locked her lover's nipple between her teeth and pulled, causing that awesome balance between pain and delight that drove Minerva so nuts. Minerva's hips rocked more furiously into hers, and she let go of the nipple to moan loud. Their eyes simultaneously fluttered open, connecting with each other through a haze of ecstasy. Suddenly, Hermione rather impetuously rolled them both over and began ravenously kissing Minerva's neck. She could feel her nails dig into her shoulders, clamping at her in the throes of passion. She threw back her head and groaned, as Hermione's hand slid between them and cupped her sex, then ran through her slit, gathering the bit of moisture that had formed. Hermione quietly assumed there must have been at least a bit of hers. She had never known Minerva wet like this before.

She quietly allowed one finger inside Minerva. Seeing this was fairly easy, she carefully allowed another to join and began pumping into her, as her thumb reached her clitoris and began administering wonderful sensations to it. Minerva moaned loud, bucking her hips upward for Hermione's fingers to go deeper inside. "Hermione…" she uttered from between her heavy panting and moans. Hermione didn't need more to drive up the pace up until Minerva could no longer deal with it and just let go, allowing the delight of orgasm to take over.

She panted after for a couple of minutes, then vaguely eyed her lover through a veil of lingering satisfaction. "I love you so much," Minerva whispered. "And you just gave me a very good excuse not to get up and remain in bed making mad love with you for the rest of the day."

"I was hoping to go down to the National Library of France; I have wanted to see it from the inside since forever. I would have guessed you would like it," Hermione said, pseudo disappointed.

"Mmm," Minerva commented. "There's, however… something else I like most. She's right here in my arms and so alluring this morning…" Minerva teased, wrapping her arms around her lover and searching for a patch of bare skin on her neck, which she eagerly began kissing and sucking on. Minerva rolled herself on top, lips apart momentarily to breathe, and watched Hermione's smile. "What?" Minerva said, before quirking her eyebrow. "Do you have objections on wasting the rest of the day in bed with me, Miss Granger?"

"By no means, Professor McGonagall…" Hermione replied, leaning up to kiss her lover as a seal of their schedule for that day. She giggled.


	21. Interruption

Chapter 21: Interruption

A very loud and unanticipated clap against the see-through door to the balcony made both women look up in surprise. It actually took both of them quite a while to recognize the bunch of feathers and such to be an owl. Hermione quietly rolled her eyes and rolled off Minerva, giving her one last fleeting kiss on the lips before sitting up and wrapping the sheet around herself. She then slowly got up and walked over to the wide slide door. By the time she had reached it, the mass of owl had slid down onto the tiles with its feet into the air. Hermione quietly opened the door and squatted to pick up the animal. She quietly carried it to the bed and laid it down on the mattress, before un-attaching the letter it carried to its one paw. She quietly eyed the name onto the envelope and handed it to her lover, who accepted it rather curiously.

"I'm going to…" Hermione began, carefully picking up the bird again, watching Minerva eagerly open the envelope while nodding, as she hastily walked into the bathroom to give the owl some water to help it recuperate. If it had come whole the way from across the water, it wasn't so strange that the poor little thing was in this condition. She didn't fail to hear the groan of Minerva. She intuitively dropped the owl into the stream of cold water and hurried to the doorway to see what was the matter.

"Filius…" Minerva whispered. "He just got word that the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher that had accepted the position has fallen seriously ill. I have no choice but to go back to Hogwarts and solve the matter. That's my responsibility as a Headmistress." Minerva sighed, before looking up at her lover with rather sad eyes. "I'm sorry, I…" but she got interrupted by loud screeching from an owl. Hermione gasped and hurried into the bathroom again, to retrieve the owl and turn off the tap again. She soon appeared into the doorway again, holding a rather irritated looking bird into her arm.

"I'm sorry," Minerva repeated. "I'll solve the matter as soon as that's possible… We already had quite a hard time finding this professor, so I don't believe it shall be resolved so soon, but… Argh," she added, biting down on her lip in thought. "I cannot run away from my responsibilities," she said, looking up at Hermione again.

"I get that," she whispered, sitting down beside her lover on the bed with the rumpled owl in her lap. "I knew who you were the day I chose to let you know about my feelings. I've never asked you nor will I ever ask you to drop your responsibilities for me."

"I'll do everything in my might to get it fixed soon, but I cannot give any estimation of time, really. I would suggest you enjoy the rest of the holidays here, and I'll return when possible."

"No," Hermione said, very easily. "I'm going with you."

"Hermione–" "No. I'm going with you, and there's nothing you could say or do that would change my mind on that. I could try and aid you in finding another professor for that damn Defense Against the Dark Arts job. We'll come back together if it should still be worth the effort. When are we leaving?"


	22. Invitation

Chapter 22: Invitation

"Come on, sweetheart," Hermione whispered, watching her lover tiredly rub her eyes. She quietly walked over to the chair Minerva occupied and quietly began massaging Minerva's shoulders. "You have contacted everyone possible. You cannot do anything more but wait for replies. I'm almost sure none are going to arrive before tomorrow, though. So you could just come to bed with me instead." Minerva's hand reached up to cover her lover's as it discontinued its ministrations. She nodded and moved to get up. Hermione quietly waited, watching her love hide a yawn by holding her hand before her mouth as she did.

Minerva smiled, feeling the touch of Hermione's fingers moving into hers. Together both women walked to the bedroom, where Hermione immediately fell down onto the bed and watched carefully as Minerva's fingers undid the pins that held her hair in its usual impeccable bun on the top of her head. She couldn't do anything but bite down on her lip with delight, watching Minerva's lengthy ebony hair cascade down her shoulders and back. She quietly extended her hand to invite Minerva to the bed. She smiled and walked over to descend into the sheets of soft peach beside Hermione. She almost immediately leaned in to let their lips meet with each other and build up one of these unique passionate kisses again that could only exist between them both.

Minerva eagerly moved atop of her companion, deepening the touch between them. When both women moved apart for a quite needed intake of air, Hermione giggled. "You are never too tired for this, are you?"

"Never," Minerva confirmed and leaned down for more again. Right then, everything suddenly got disturbed by a rather familiar sound. Minerva groaned and rose. "Maybe there's a reply," she whispered at her lover, before slipping from the bed and wandering into the office to indeed find an owl at the window to her office. She quietly let the bird inside, watching as the bird flew in and dropped an envelope onto her desk, before leaving once again. Minerva thus shut the window against the cold nightly chill and turned to her desk to gather the letter.

It wasn't meant for her, though. She slowly walked back into the bedroom with the letter in hand. Hermione eyed her rather curiously, leaning on her elbows in bed. "Who?" She questioned.

"No idea," Minerva replied. "It isn't for me," she said, handing her the thin white envelope, before sitting down beside her. She carefully watched as Hermione's eyes slid over the writing a couple of times, as if she couldn't quite believe it. She swallowed. "What's the matter?" Minerva asked, worry distinguishable in the tone of voice which she used.

"That's… my mother's small handwriting…" Hermione said, before slowly turning over the envelope. She quietly pulled the letter from it, before folding it open and reading. Minerva intuitively read over her shoulder. Both women didn't have secrets for one another.

_Dear Hermione,_

_First off, we're sorry for our reaction. You, however, must see that the news certainly came as a shock to us. We have only met Professor McGonagall once when she personally came to deliver your letter to Hogwarts and that's already been more than a decade. _

_What would you say about dinner together next week if that's possible for both, so that you could let us meet the woman who's stolen your heart? Maybe we could try to get to know her better._

At this, Hermione insecurely raised her eyes to meet Minerva's. She characteristically began chewing on her lip as usual when being in such situation. "That's not bad," Minerva voiced, sounding sure. "Agree. I'll be good and make them see how much I love you. How could anyone object against their daughter having met the love of her life?"

Hermione couldn't do anything but giggle. "Mmm. Are you, now?"

Minerva began tickling her lover. "I am," she replied in that same teasing tone, only more encouraged by Hermione's shrieks.

_Dear Mom, Dad,_

_I'm kind of surprised by the invitation, but I do welcome the offer. Minerva's really busy for the time being, but if it should be alright with you, I'll come over Monday afternoon, and then Minerva could join us later for dinner, about seven._


	23. Love, Make Love

Chapter 23: Love, Make Love

Monday morning came sooner than either Hermione or Minerva could have imagined. Both of them had done nothing but write and reply letters to and from possible candidates to take up a position as a Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher at Hogwarts. Some negative replies had come in already, but most of Minerva and Hermione's letters were unanswered thus far. Both women, especially Minerva, really hoped that a positive reply would come very soon, so that she and her lover could continue their holidays together in Paris. A lot of the city was remained unseen, which was just too bad, most particularly since Minerva finally had gathered the strength to come loose from the morals of her childhood and anything else that could strain their relationship and therefore could finally just enjoy loving and being loved in return.

Minerva groaned, looking up at the clock on the oaken night table beside her – high time to get up, even though she really didn't feel like it. She quietly turned aside her head to look at Hermione, who lay on her side facing her with a smile. Minerva smiled, too. "I have got to get up…" she said and groaned once again, before burring her head into her pillow. She could feel her lover move nearer and begin caressing her spine with her lips, leaving light, sucking kisses. "I really have to get up, sweetie," Minerva repeated, whispering. She, however, didn't move to effectively get from their bed.

"Since when do you actually call me 'sweetie'?" Hermione questioned, half surprised, half amused. "And why don't you just stay in bed for a little while longer? I'm sure enough I could find something to entertain you…" she began, suggestively.

"Oh?" Minerva emitted, pseudo unaware of what her lover had in mind, while moving atop of her, slowly pushing her backward into the pillows. She began kissing Hermione's neck, leaving her moaning with delight and anticipation. Hermione uneasily searched for her wand with one hand, while holding the other one right above Minerva's but, and turned aside her head to let their lips meet in a passionate, needy fashion. Suddenly the need to get rid of Minerva's soft blue nightgown overpowered the one to get hold of her wand, and Hermione eagerly began hitching up the fabric for a couple of inches, before taking the hem and pulling the article over Minerva's head, letting it carelessly fall beside the bed. Both women's pupils were dilated with lust and love, even so early in the morning. Soon enough, she began tugging at Minerva's panties, uneasily pulling them off of her body, as Minerva with even more difficulty tugged off the younger woman's sleeping shorts. She moaned at the realization that Hermione lacked underwear – not that she particularly minded, though.

When finally Hermione's pair of panties joined Minerva's onto the side of the bed, and their wetnesses found each other, both women moaned loud in desire and anticipation once again. They were both wanton and so ready. Hermione thus locked her legs around her lover's waist and rolled them both over with all strength she possessed, straddling Minerva, before ridding herself of her red sleeping top, finally leaving them both naked. Minerva couldn't do anything but lightly slap Hermione's one breast, before reaching up to capture the nipple of the other between her lips and sucking. Hermione's head was being thrown back in delight, and their wetnesses rocked against and into each other almost as if driven by some sort of animalistic urge for most touch.

Minerva impetuously rolled them both over again and began grazing her teeth along her lover's collarbone eagerly, as Hermione blindly searched for her wand again. She easily waved it – once found, and Minerva intuitively broke apart from her lips, before looking at her questioningly, then down, at the feel of the strap-on attached to her groin. "Hermione…?"

"Please…" Hermione begged, reaching up to momentarily capture Minerva's lips with hers, before trailing her lips up over her well-defined jaw line and whispering into the much older woman's ear, before suckling onto the earlobe, "I'm sure… I'm so wet for you right now…" Minerva just couldn't resist that. "I need you inside of me."

Hermione was very relieved to feel only just an almost non-existing twinge of pain as the length of the strap-on pushed carefully past what used to be her maidenhood and easily filled her. Never once did the eye contact between both witches break, not even after Hermione had nodded at her lover to continue, and Minerva slowly began rocking into her. Hermione hopelessly tried to keep open her eyes, but in the end just no longer could, for the quite unfamiliar feeling caused such joy she never would have imagined – especially after her earlier rather painful experiences with the toy. Minerva leaned onto her elbows, as Hermione's nails dug into her shoulders, clinging onto her hard, while moaning louder than possibly ever before. Minerva thus drove into her harder and faster, until the sound of flesh connecting with flesh filled the air around them. It sounded very animalistic, but was deeply satisfying altogether.

Hermione could soon no longer bear the ever increasing feeling of satisfaction and could do nothing but give in to a wonderful, earth shattering vaginal orgasm. Minerva quietly lowered herself and kissed Hermione's jaw, before whispering into her ear, "We really have to hurry up now, or I'll never get done before seven, and you'll be arriving late at your mom and dad's."

This time, Hermione groaned. Minerva uncharacteristically giggled.


	24. To Reunite

Chapter 24: To Reunite...

It had already been well over noon when Minerva and Hermione had showered together and then gotten dressed, before having had something to eat. A little over one Hermione had given her lover one last kiss goodbye, before Disapparating, and leaving Minerva alone to deal with the mass of owl mail that had come in before noon already.

The reunion between her mother and father and Hermione certainly had gone over rather awkward to say the least. None of the usual welcome hugs or kisses on the cheek between the Grangers had been involved at any point. Their shopping had gone over fairly quiet, too. By four, everything that was on the list to shop for dinner had been gathered and neatly stuffed into the back of the car. "Would you like to drive?" Hermione's father asked quite suddenly, holding the keys before her nose, maybe to try break the awkwardness between them. Sure Hermione had gotten her license - even though she could do longer distances in shorter times using non-Muggle ways – but usually when her father was going with, he drove.

"Sure!" Hermione exclaimed, happily accepting the keys and settling behind the wheel. She first readjusted the chair nearer to the wheel. Hermione's legs weren't quite so lengthy as her father's, and of course she needed to be able to reach the pedals without issues. She quietly put on her seatbelt and waited for her father to settle beside her and her mother into the back with the shopping, before revving the engine to life and pulling from the parking carefully and turning onto the street.

Hermione had done this route often enough both by foot and car, both beside and behind the wheel. Most of the drive ticked by in silence, until suddenly Mrs. granger spoke, "How did you both enjoy Paris thus far?"

"I really liked it there, and I'm sure that there's a lot more to discover." She didn't speak about the interruption that had come from Professor Flitwick. She purposefully didn't mention how or if Minerva had enjoyed their holidays until then either – even though her mother had asked about both of them. Hermione couldn't really say why, but something held her. Maybe she cautiously wanted to see if her mother would mention Minerva more if she didn't, so that she knew if her mother was being only polite, or was really doing her best to be interested. She wouldn't ever be happy about it, Hermione knew. She had accepted that fact. Maybe she did it just in case to keep another verbal fight from happening. She didn't particularly feel like fighting over this again. Mrs. Granger was trying, though.

"And... Professor McGonagall?"

"Minerva," Hermione automatically corrected. She wanted to get rid of anything that reminded her and anyone else – especially Mr. and Mrs. Granger – of what used to be their relation to one another and thus indirect the difference in age as well. "She quite enjoyed our time there as well so far," Hermione said, and halted before a red light.

"I'm happy to hear," Mrs. Granger said, hoarsely but sounding rather truthful. Mr. Granger remained quiet.

The light finally changed into green, and thus Hermione slowly released the clutch and pushed down onto the gas...when suddenly a car came from the right, having ignored the red on his side of the crossroads. It came crashing into the right of their vehicle, and by the impact of the collision due to the speed of the other driver, the Grangers' family car swerved dangerously onto the far other side of the road. Hermione intuitively held onto the wheel so hard that her knuckles turned white, watching how another car before her couldn't halt anymore and bumped into them, too – fortunately with a little less speed and lesser impact. The airbags almost immediately began swelling from nowhere to keep her from hitting her head.

She never screamed. She just looked around herself wearily, eyes wide and heart racing in shock. Something at the side of her head thumped fast. The sight on the right of her, together with the amount of pain coursing through the whole of her leg as she intuitively tried to move was enough to make basically anyone lose consciousness. At least she had succeeded in not giving in to the black that wrapped around her for a couple of minutes. When she had given into it, she suddenly no longer saw black, but lights... She had no idea what way to follow, but the lights were bright and inviting. She usually waddled through no matter what...


	25. The Lights

Chapter 25: The Lights

Hermione's head was thumping. She could hear the sound of female voices far away and vaguely recognized the second of them. She, however, couldn't catch anything of what was being said by either. Slowly, she then allowed her eyes to open, almost immediately squeezing them near shut again so that she could barely see through almost non-existing slits. The light that came in from the window on the right of her bed was too bright. It must be day.

She eyed all around her quietly. She couldn't immediately say where she was, but the surroundings and smell strongly reminded her of a hospital. It almost couldn't be anything else. This must be a hospital, she knew after a second. What hospital, though? St. Mungo's? And why had she ended up in there to begin with? She slowly tried to turn her head, but it appeared very painful. She thus ceased her moving and gazed up at the ceiling with her mocha brown eyes. She painfully tried to memorize what had happened before this. What was the last she could memorize?

She suddenly saw that one car bore into theirs again and then another one. Hermione's heart raced in panic, and even though she knew that she should really be safe in hospital, she couldn't succeed in calming herself down. More visions of her mother and especially father unconscious and bleeding reached her, and suddenly a monitor beside her came alive and began beeping loud, making her panic even more. Hermione's breath caught, even when the nurse came rushing in to the sound of the monitor, followed by a loud, frustrated yelling in that familiar female tone before Minerva herself came into sight.

Minerva hurried over to her side immediately, taking her hand before carefully shushing her. She lovingly stroked the hair from her forehead and rubbed the top of her hand with her thumb. She just failed to notice whatever the one nurse was doing, just focusing onto these mesmerizing green eyes of her love and calming. Slowly Hermione's breathing and heart rate calmed again to normal. She couldn't say whether Minerva being there or whatever that nurse could have done before leaving them alone could have aided her. Maybe it could be a combination of both?

Minerva quietly sat on the side of the bed, never once letting her eyes stray from the much younger woman. Hermione swallowed and quietly opened her mouth to speak, but no sound came from her lips. She swallowed once again, before uttering, "What has… happened?"

"You have been into a car accident, sweetie," Minerva said, worry coating every syllable. "You have been asleep since you have been here."

"When?" Hermione hoarsely asked, even though her throat felt very dry and painful.

"Yesterday," Minerva replied, before smoothing away some invisible wisps of brown hair from Hermione's forehead again. "I only heard about it today after noon. I immediately Apparated. I was doing everything possible to convince one of the nurses to see you, until you suddenly woke up." Minerva's eyes shone with unshed tears. "I was so terrified." She carefully kissed Hermione's hand, then saw how her forehead and eyes and lips pulled together in pain. Intuitively Minerva's head turned in the direction of the younger woman's leg, which was raised a couple of inches by pillows. Hermione quietly followed her gaze, before turning to her questioningly. "Your lower left leg got blocked and crushed. Most of the pieces could be put together again with the aid of magic, but… not everything. There's no good chance of fixing it magically without taking the risk to do even more damage, though." Hermione's eyes widened. "There's a possibility you'll do so with faltering step for the rest of your life, but at least you'll be able to walk again," Minerva reassured, carefully patting her former pupil's hand and cupping her cheek. "You'll have to be here for just a couple more days."

Hermione nodded, tears welling up into the mocha of her eyes, before tracking their ways down her cheeks. She swallowed once again, and even though that already hurt, she needed to ask. "How about…?" It sounded quite weakly and hoarsely.

Minerva exhaled deeply, and that already gave Hermione enough of a reply. She began shaking her head disbelievingly. "I'm sorry," Minerva whispered. "There was no hope. The right of the car was entirely crushed. I'm just happy you were behind the wheel…"

Hermione's head shook. "I…I…" she began. "Dad could have…"

"Sweetie, there's nothing that he could have done either if…" she began, trailing off when the much younger woman hid herself in her shoulder and sobbed. "Shh…" Minerva whispered, just allowing her to cry, while rubbing her back soothingly. "Everything's going to be alright." _Even if it'll certainly take a while…_


	26. Going Down

Chapter 26: Going Down

"I'm fine," Hermione reassured, stretching her hand to keep Minerva at bay. She didn't need the aid. She could easily get up without. She could take care of herself. She didn't fail to notice the worry that was etched upon the much older woman's forehead, but this was something she had to do. Minerva, however, said nothing. She just waited in patience beside the bed, cloak hanging over her arm. She didn't have to look up to be aware of the Animagus' piercing green eyes directed upon nothing or no one else but her. She had had too much Transfiguration under her lead not to have learned that by now. This held the middle between the usual McGonagall gaze and the compassion that only Minerva could convey.

Trying her best not to make it too obvious, Hermione rapidly took a breath, before easing her legs over the side of the bed, supporting her weight by her fist solidly lodged into the bed beside her. She intuitively bit her tongue to keep herself from wincing, whereas on the inside Hermione Granger was screaming and not only because of the pain in her restraining, rigid limbs…

She quietly used both of her fists to push herself further to the edge of the bed, until both of her feet touched wood. She slowly raised herself and remained holding onto the bed with one hand momentarily to regain balance for the first in days. Slowly, Hermione rose further and let go of the bed. She contentedly succeeded in keeping herself upright for a while, before both of her legs began quivering under carrying her weight again after not having done so for a couple of days.

Minerva was by her side immediately, aiding her in supporting herself. She slowly eased her onto the edge of the bed again. "Hermione…" that soft female voice sounded. She quietly raised her eyes to meet the professor's, not needing the words which she already knew she would say… "Hermione, I'm not sure if this would be such…"

She interrupted. "I'm fine. I just…" she sighed. "Minerva. I really need to do this, even if only for the sake of my sanity." She begged with her eyes, but Minerva of course wouldn't yield. She knew. She wouldn't ever be able to convince her. To herself she quietly admitted that maybe indeed she wasn't powerful enough yet.

The witch again exhaled, before getting up once more, fighting against the nausea and light-headedness while taking her cloak from the nurse – who just eyed her with uncertainty. The need to be there at her mother and father's funeral overpowered the feelings of Hermione's own uncertainty. The deep aching inside only added more to that. She couldn't imagine not being there. She wouldn't, either. What most likely hurt the most was how things had been before drama struck. The awkwardness. The uncertainty, maybe. Mr. and Mrs. Granger had never seen Minerva… had never known that their only daughter would really be taken care of and be loved; had never gotten that badly wanted and needed reassurance that all would be fine… that Minerva really loved their daughter…

Keeping herself upright was of course one thing, but walking was yet another. She quietly reached for Minerva's arm. Together Minerva and she began walking slowly, in the direction of the wide wooden doors. The couple of steps necessary to move just three feet appeared enough for the weak Hermione to fail into carrying herself once more. Minerva and the nurse both immediately reached for her, to keep her from collapsing and aided her to the bed again. "Hermione…" Minerva whispered. "You're too weak; it is too soon after the accident."

"No, I'm not!" Hermione argued, interrupting her. Her voice was shrill, very near the verge of hysteria and rather loud despite the fact she had almost fainted twice in the minutes that had passed. She, however, didn't move to get onto her feet again.

"I'm sorry," Minerva whispered, putting her fingers on her battered, former pupil's. She didn't pull away, but just averted her eyes to the heavy wooden beams overhead, almost childishly beginning to trail the lines of age in them. Minerva quietly squeezed her fingers, but no indication of having felt this came. She sighed.

* * *

Minerva wasn't entirely sure about doing this – especially now – but of course the determined former pupil beside her would convince her there really was no need to worry again if she ever mentioned doing this another time. A part of Minerva had no issues believing how much Hermione wanted this. There maybe was a need for her to do this as well. Saying goodbye was maybe necessary to continue life. Another part of her, however, feared for her lover's well-being and feared maybe she wouldn't be powerful enough to take this anymore, since after all it only had been four days.

Quietly, Minerva then reached for her wand, before raising it into the air and easily conjuring a bouquet of fresh lilies in a lot of different colors. With another wave of her wand, Minerva slowly moved them to lay atop of the grave. Hermione quietly raised her eyes to meet the much older woman's, and even though she couldn't really smile, the gratefulness was readable in her eyes. She then turned to the headstone again and let her eyes fall shut, the tears leaking quietly from between her lashes. Minerva just watched and didn't say anything. Her fingers, however, tightened around Hermione's.

"I'm sorry," Hermione whispered to no one in particular, before burying her head into the older woman's shoulder.


	27. Murphy's Law

Chapter 27: Murphy's Law

Hermione quietly pushed aside her bowl of cereal. Minerva just eyed her with worry and sighed. Hermione easily chose to ignore that, just like she had done every time since having left St. Mungo's two days earlier. "Sweetie," Minerva began, and Hermione immediately knew that tone. She was going to be all nice again and doing her best to get her to eat more. She hadn't really felt like eating in quite a while. She couldn't do anything about it. She hadn't really felt like talking lately either. "Wouldn't you…?"

Hermione's head shook. "No. I'm fine," she said, before hastily getting up and leaving the room. Minerva sighed once again and buried her head into one hand. You didn't have to be particularly observing to notice just how Hermione usually tried to keep them from ending up alone, possibly afraid that Minerva would like to chat a bit. Minerva highly doubted she had said more than a few words since the funeral. Of course she got that the much younger woman needed time – time alone, maybe – but something inside her made her feel very worried about Hermione's behavior. She wasn't actually eating. She wasn't talking to anyone. She was building up immensely high walls around her and shutting herself away. That couldn't be any good…

Minerva slowly waved her wand, before getting up as well and walking into the bathroom for a shower. Worry about her lover caused even more tension than usual upon her old body, and she certainly hoped that a good hot shower could aid to relax her at least a little before she truly began the day. She wasn't hoping to waste away some of it with Hermione anymore. Hermione would let the minutes tick by asleep or reading and again rereading old books, while Minerva usually dealt with the lot of administration and innumerous formalities that leading a school threw at one.

Minerva quietly turned on the water of the shower with a most easy looking wave of her wand, before putting it onto the white bathroom cabinet and beginning to shed her robes. She could do this with a wand in no time, and she actually did make use of that ability when in a hurry. Right now, she, however, wasn't really and slowly allowed the water to become hot while taking the time to get undressed. Often enough, Hermione and she had showered together in Paris. Ever since the accident, Hermione had purposefully shielded herself from any such touches as some sort of defense mechanism for more pain, whereas Minerva would have anticipated the opposite. The pain's usually worse with the ones you have loved most. Maybe she had hoped for it. Maybe she wouldn't have felt so useless as now when just watching everything from the side.

She sighed, before getting into the shower and letting the water cascade over her body, careful enough not to get her pinned up hair wet. She wasn't going to wash it again. She just wanted the feeling of peacefulness and relaxation that usually followed after a nice hot shower, even if it lasted only momentarily. Minerva carefully reached for her lavender scented soap and began rubbing it over her skin, beginning with her arms, then breasts and abdomen and legs and feet. She quietly put the soap into the rack again, while turning this way and that, to wash away the last of the lather that was left. She slowly let her already shriveling fingertips wander over her neck, and then she suddenly felt something unordinary when moving on.

Minerva immediately ceased and let the tip of her forefinger go over the lump onto the side of her breast on the height of her nipple a couple of times. It appeared quite hard and immoveable, but not particularly tender. Minerva thus didn't give it any further notice. Benign, most likely. She would begin to worry when it hadn't disappeared after a couple of days. It wouldn't be the very first time she panicked about something like that, which appeared nothing in the end. It had just gone away in the end. She would give it three days and then consider if a follow-up would be required. For now, she wasn't going to worry anyone, and that meant herself as well.


	28. Admitting It

Chapter 28: Admitting It

Minerva's three days had passed by ridiculously fast, in which nothing about the lump in her breast had changed. It still felt the same, even though maybe a bit more numb than had been the case earlier that week. She actually barely felt when touching it now. It didn't really hurt, which is why she didn't worry about it so much as if it would have; even though Minerva had vowed to herself if it hadn't disappeared after three days, she would have it checked… she didn't.

The end of the week neared about as fast. Five days passed by without any reassurance of Minerva's earlier discovery being benign… By Saturday, even though Minerva obviously tried not to look all too concerned about anything or even any bit different than usual – not in the least because Hermione hadn't quite discontinued struggling with what had come over, and she thus wanted to be there for her to begin with if ever she should change her mind and begin talking again; and because she candidly wouldn't worry anyone nor herself without reassurance of anyone in the field that it really wasn't nothing – Minerva's worry about her discovery reached its pitch.

It had become a habit to quietly touch the area mere times a day ever since she had discovered the lump, every time hoping it was no longer there and hoping she didn't have to do what she did on Saturday morning. Upon stepping from the shower and inspecting the lump in the mirror, she could confirm her thoughts, for it not only felt but even looked to have grown since earlier that week, even though not by much. Minerva's heart had raced upon having to realize it was about time to have it checked, and she could no longer ignore it. It wasn't going to go away. She thus had ended up walking up to Poppy after leaving the Great Hall while the pupils filled the hallways to get over to their very first course of the day and had shared with the Matron her discovery…

_Poppy gasped, doing her best to keep most of the shock at bay and to not show it to Minerva. She had come to her to be reassured and not to be aided into panicking even more than she most likely already did. She thus carefully inhaled and exhaled once again. "When did you discover this?" She asked, cautiously inspecting the lump with her eyes._

_"Monday, while showering," Minerva admitted._

_Poppy nodded, then sighed. "Oh, why didn't you come to me earlier?" It didn't sound accusing. She didn't wait for a reply before asking another question either. She already had some possibilities on it either way. She most likely had hoped it would go away by itself and had been afraid… even though it wasn't something anyone usually connected with Minerva – being afraid. "Does it… hurt?"_

_Minerva's head shook. "It doesn't. It even feels… sort of…" Poppy quietly allowed the tip of her forefinger to stroke the light swelling, "numb." At that, Poppy's cobalt blue eyes rose to meet her long time female companion's green ones. She could see the worry, the need for reassurance, even before she actually voiced it. "Please, Poppy. I have had something like this a few years before. I just need be reassured it is benign this time as well."_

_Poppy Pomfrey nodded. She wouldn't voice how she noticed, that Minerva too was at least a little afraid, hoping just a bit too much it would be nothing again."I'll do a couple of tests, and then we'll be able to tell very soon if there's need to worry."_

_Minerva nodded. She certainly hoped not. The thought of having to tell Hermione made her feel suddenly unwell._

While the existence of the lump and Poppy's reaction to it as well made Minerva even more off-minded and worried internally, Hermione slowly but surely was beginning to deal with what had gone on, even if only internally as well. No differences showed in either's behavior, though.

Minerva sighed, putting aside her book and putting it onto the high night table, before turning to her lover. "Hermione," she sighed. "Please. Stop acting. I know… that you haven't fallen asleep yet." No response. Minerva sighed, before taking off her eyeglasses and rubbing her nose tiredly. At that, Hermione quietly rose and walked over to the window. At least she wasn't acting like she had already fallen asleep anymore. Minerva slowly put aside her eyeglasses upon her book, leaving the bed and following.

Hermione didn't react as Minerva's hand came down onto her arm to comfort. "I have lost loved ones as well," she whispered. "Of course everyone deals with it differently, but… I'm really beginning to get worried." Hermione momentarily eyed her lover, before averting her eyes to the window again, watching through it part of Hogwarts' domain. Hagrid's hut was alive with light, and a bit further away the ripples onto the black appearing water of the lake showed that the Giant Squid wasn't feeling much like resting yet either. "I… miss you," Minerva whispered, actually wanting to say, 'I need you.' She felt quite terrified right then, even though she shouldn't quite until at least the tests had shown reason. It all was much harder than it appeared.

Hermione quietly turned, mocha brown connecting with vivid green. However… "You look quite pale," Hermione observed.

That wasn't quite so odd after having been prodded and tested upon most of the morning. At least Hermione had been asleep in the meantime and thus hadn't asked where she could have been. She hadn't even realized Minerva's absence. "I'm exhausted," Minerva said, and that actually wasn't much of a lie.

"I'm sorry," Hermione whispered, before falling into her lover's warm embrace. She immediately took the opportunity to take in that particular delicious smell that was so uniquely Minerva and calming, wondering why she had pushed her away all this time. Minerva often had something soothing, even if she didn't really try. Hermione sighed and quietly nuzzled her lover's breast, before kissing it through the layer of fabric and resting her head against it.

Minerva couldn't do anything but become rigid at the motion. Fortunately Hermione didn't notice. "I'm just afraid to lose you as well," Hermione admitted.

Minerva nodded and sighed, before slowly pulling away and leading them to the bed, before curling up together underneath the sheets, with Hermione spooning into Minerva. "I'll fight hard for you not to lose me anytime soon," she whispered. There certainly was another layer in it, which Hermione uncharacteristically failed to notice.


	29. To Hope

Chapter 29: To Hope

Minerva swallowed, while carefully getting dressed, taking much more time than usual or necessary. Shivers had taken over her body, even though it really wasn't cold. Upon walking into her office that morning, less than an hour earlier, Poppy's little note had drawn her attention to her desk. It hadn't read much, and yet Minerva's heart had hammered into her chest upon reading that one line. So far for doing her best not to panic. _I have gotten the result of the tests; please come by if possible after having had your morning meal._

She felt rather nauseous, and thus morning meal or anything else to eat didn't quite sound appealing. She would go to Poppy right away, so that finally she would get the reassurance she needed and could begin acting like herself again, even though her surroundings had barely noticed anything of the battle that had gone on internally since her having discovered the lump and most particularly since having noticed it had actually grown. She sighed, giving up on getting dressed and using an easy looking swipe of her wand to finish that task. Upon walking from her dressing into the bedroom again and eyeing her lover still asleep – seemingly unconcerned for the very first time in quite a while – Minerva's eyes filled with tears, even though none of them were actually shed. What if it wasn't… nothing? What if…? A lot of measures would have to be taken, of which informing others was one. How would this woman react upon hearing the news? Minerva exhaled, forcing herself not to let her mind go that way until having heard about the result of the tests. Would Poppy have asked her to come even if it wasn't nothing, too? She quietly shook her head and left her quarters to go and meet Poppy.

Minerva's heart almost hammered audibly against her chest as she quietly sucked in air and momentarily held it, before releasing it and walking into the infirmary. "Poppy?" She questioned, upon noticing the nurse and matron nowhere. She would wait for a bit, she then said to herself, when suddenly Poppy's figure appeared from behind a paravane shielding one of the beds into the far away corner of the room, and she began walking into the Headmistress' direction. The lines upon Poppy Pomfrey's face were not readable.

"I see that you have received my note," Poppy said. Something in her voice sounded different than usual, but Minerva couldn't quite put her finger on how. She swallowed. "Please, come to my office," Poppy suggested, already walking in that direction. Minerva followed, feeling numb. She quietly sat down onto the chair opposite Poppy's, watching her lock the door by magic and mutter _Muffliato_, before putting down her wand beside her on the desk and sighing.

"Poppy…?" Minerva questioned. "Please."

"I'm afraid that…" Poppy began, "I don't have such good news."

Minerva's eyes momentarily fluttered shut, and she then forced herself to take a couple of deep intakes of air, before nodding. There never would be a good enough time to hear news like this either way.

"I'm afraid that the lump in your breast isn't benign," Poppy whispered, and even in just that little bit of information was it audible how badly Poppy would have wanted to say something else than that. "You're in stage three of breast cancer." A silence between them fell upon that, in which both women just gazed at one another without really looking, occupied by their respective thoughts, until Minerva suddenly spoke.

"How many stages are there?" She questioned.

"Four," Poppy replied, almost inaudibly, watching Minerva's nod while taking in the information. "You'll need to have surgery ASAP."

"Will I…?" Minerva questioned, doing her best not to reach up and defensively shield her chest.

Poppy's head shook. "No. You won't be losing your breast… for now. There'll have to be a lumpectomy with lymph node removal, though. The lump is going to be excised, together with some of the surrounding healthy tissue and your axillary lymph nodes. After that, you'll have to go through a series of chemotherapy and radiation to give you the best of chances."

Minerva nodded, then sighed, before hiding her head in one hand. How was she going to tell Hermione, or anyone else for that matter? How was she going to do anything of this at her age?


	30. To Lose

Chapter 30: To Lose

Minerva sighed. She was curled up on the wide window seat as much she could and gazing over what lay within the boundaries of Hogwarts for as far her vision reached. "I'm sure you have made a very good decision," Hermione whispered and carefully handed her lover one of the cups of lemon tea which one of the Hogwarts House Elves had just sent, together with a plate of Ginger Newts that wouldn't be touched by either. Minerva gratefully accepted the cup and wrapped both of her hands around it, before raising it to her lips with her left hand, only to halt halfway and wince almost inaudibly. Hermione didn't fail to notice. "Is it any less sore?" She questioned, upon which Minerva didn't reply. She just took the cup with her other hand, before easily lifting it to her lips and taking a sip.

"I won't be able to fulfill my duties as a Headmistress well anymore, so I almost had no other choice but to give up my responsibilities to someone else. I don't doubt that Filius is going to do well as a Headmaster and Pomona as a Deputy for the time being, but…" She sighed once again.

"You're afraid," Hermione finished.

Minerva didn't say anything and just leaned against her lover. Hermione carefully put her tea aside and pulled both of her arms around Minerva's thin figure, careful not to touch her left breast, which was quite sore after her lumpectomy the week before. She fleetingly kissed the top of Minerva's head lovingly, before resting her chin upon it. "Would you feel more comfortable to deal with this somewhere more… well, secret?"

Minerva quietly raised her eyes to meet her lover's. Minerva's teal green eyes had lost quite a lot of their usual liveliness and shine. "What…?"

"Well, it is easy to imagine you wouldn't feel comfortable showing the pupils… I mean, I have gotten the house of my mother and father. Maybe we could move over for the time being, until you… are feeling better again, if…"

"Sweetie," Minerva whispered and sighed. "I really do welcome the thought of that, as indeed it would… make me feel a bit more comfortable. I'll… go through a lot of changes with the chemotherapy and radiation. I'll be quite ill, Poppy said. However, I'm afraid that it would be very hard living in their house, for not only me, but you in particular."

Immediately tears welled up in Hermione's mocha brown eyes. "I know, but… if it could make it better for you, I…"

Minerva feebly smiled, before cuddling deeper into Hermione's embrace. "I love you, too." She sighed. "Maybe we could for the time being take residence in the house in which I grew up." Hermione just gazed at her. She never had thought about the possibility of Minerva having got a house or anything else. "Would you like that?"

"Would you?"

"Maybe," Minerva replied, thoughtfully. "I haven't set foot into it for about fifty years, but I'm quite sure you would like it. Even though it isn't so large, there's more than enough room to be worthy of comparison with my chambers here at Hogwarts." She sighed. She indeed would be feeling more comfortable without the looks of pupils directed at her during meals and them talking about her secretly, yet the thought of leaving Hogwarts somehow scared her as well. She had lived there for about fifty years… It had been her home for near half a century…

Hermione nodded, and she felt rather than knew the tears tracking their ways down her cheeks, falling into Minerva's long hair, which was pulled into a braid and beautifully flowing down her back tonight – something that seldom occurred. She unconsciously tightened her arms around Minerva, still careful not to touch her left breast, while doing everything she could to hold back more tears and sobs. "I'm just terrified to lose you," she admitted.

Minerva's right hand reached up carefully to pat her lover's. "I'm made of stronger material," she whispered, and for the very first time, there with Hermione's arms wrapped around her, she knew that she wasn't going to give up just like that and maybe made a chance even.

"When is your chemotherapy supposed to begin?" Hermione questioned.

"When I have healed from the lumpectomy. In a week or two, Poppy guessed."

Hermione nodded. Minerva had made sure not to make it too obvious in how much pain she actually was after the surgery, but Hermione wasn't entirely dumb, and moreover Poppy had warned her about the effect it could cause upon her lover and about her worry that Minerva most likely would act as if it wasn't anything much, even though it certainly would be better for her well-being to just be honest about it. "Poppy's said that it should give no issues for me to be there with you, even though there are some little–" At that, Minerva suddenly pulled away to look at Hermione. "I'm going alone. I'm not…"

"You're not," Hermione said. "I won't allow it. We are into this together, whether you are liking it or not, unless…" Hermione's tone saddened, and a silence between them fell. "You could never be a bother," she whispered, as if reading Minerva's mind, quietly running her fingers over the soft well-defined jaw line and letting their eyes connect with each other. "I love you."

"I love you, too," Minerva whispered, before laying her head down on Hermione's chest again, calming upon feeling the rise and fall with which she inhaled and exhaled. She never had been more cuddly and needy than as of late. She felt quite guilty for it in one way, but then Hermione usually was so sweet about it and accepting. She never quite felt any safer than in Hermione's embrace, and thus… She slowly lifted the cup to her lips again and downed the last of her tea. Hermione intuitively followed, before banishing her cup and Minerva's.

"Sweetie," Minerva's voice sounded.

"Mmm-hmm."

"I would like to ask you a favor."

"Anything," Hermione whispered.

She never could have guessed what that favor would be, though. Hermione's eyes momentarily searched Minerva's pale teal green ones and watched how the much older woman quietly took her wand and easily conjured a pair of large scissors. Both women eyed the scissors in Minerva's lap fleetingly, before their eyes connected with each other. Hermione could see how much difficulties it held for Minerva to voice her request. She swallowed and only weakly her voice came, "I wouldn't be able to deal with seeing my hair caught into the… after having combed it. Poppy's said that I'll certainly lose it either way due to the chemotherapy, so…" Minerva swallowed, quietly handing Hermione the scissors.

Hermione's head shook. "No… Minerva. Your hair."

"If I'm going to lose it either way, I rather have it this way," she whispered, tearing up. Her lengthy once raven hair was all left from Minerva's once beauty.

"No. I cannot do it. I…"

"Please," Minerva nearly begged, "do it for me." She quietly turned her head, as Hermione slowly accepted the scissors and let her eyes fall shut, and the tears ran down her cheeks. This would most likely be the worst – losing her lengthy graying hair. Yet if it must happen, then better this way. She continued to weep in silence, eyes shut, feeling the shiver of Hermione's hand as she quietly put the pair of scissors at the base of her braid. Minerva quietly nodded and then eventually heard the sound of the scissors as they robbed the elder lady of maybe the very last bit of once beauty she had still had.


	31. Epilogue

**Epilogue – 1 year later **

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Hermione whispered, watching at the enlightened Eiffel Tower in the distance, while holding onto a cup of hot chocolate and leaning against her lover, who too was holding a cup of hot chocolate herself. She sighed, with happiness. Neither of both women would have guessed this to happen again one year earlier. Both of them just had been too occupied with holding on then, that thoughts about next year, or even only next month or such, had fled.

There was a time to do everything Hermione and Minerva had all wanted to do last year now, like reaching the top of the Tower, or visit Chateau de Versailles, or have a picnic by nightfall, at Passerelle Simone de Beauvoir. "It'll be quite different at Hogwarts without you, though," she whispered. "I never would have imagined it."

"Well," Minerva whispered. "When being on the verge of losing the fight, you somehow get a very good idea of what is most worth living for. Hogwarts will do fine without me. I have loved my life and teaching there, but… maybe it is time to leave the torch to others and enjoy the rest of my time with you." Minerva's hand quietly reached up to pat Hermione's belly.

Hermione unconsciously touched the stone on Minerva's finger with her forefinger, before resting her hand upon her wife's, the stone on her finger flickering into the many city lights that reached both of them upon the balcony. "Do you… regret it?" Minerva questioned.

Hermione's head shook, a smile upon her features. She easily leaned up to let both of their lips touch. "Never," she whispered, and she quietly turned to face her wife. Both women intuitively let their gazes wander down to Hermione's expanding belly. Slowly but surely, she actually was beginning to show after four months. She began to chew on her lip again. "Do you… regret it?" This time, it wasn't about their marriage, but mostly about the growing consequences of their passionate wedding night… of which the 'how' of course wasn't to be shared. "Isn't it all… too soon? Too…?" Hermione questioned, with uncertainty.

This time, Minerva's head shook. "I have never been more sure about anything else in my life, and that's surely something."

Hermione nodded, reaching up to carefully run her fingers through Minerva's grey hair, that was slowly getting near its usual waist length again, already having passed her shoulders again and still growing fast as if by magic. A smile passed between them both. "Yeah, what we both have surely is something."

Minerva smiled. "I love you."

"I love you, too."


	32. TEASER: Chocolate

"Chocolate": TEASER

Hermione Granger-McGonagall lazily fell down onto the couch with her bowl of chocolate ice cream. She eagerly began digging into the food with her spoon, while raising her feet onto the ottoman between the couch and the wide color television. She suddenly felt the touch of her wife's cautious fingertips on her shoulders and moaned wantonly. "Mmm. I hadn't heard you come in the door," she whispered, before leaning up to let her lips momentarily capture Minerva's.

"Mmm," Minerva replied, tasting chocolate and something purely Hermione while running her tongue over her reddish lower lip, before leaning down for more.


End file.
